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CO 


SH-) 


^* 


GUIDE 


TO 


THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN 


'-^' 


RAILWAY 


1900 


ST.  PETERSBURG. K 

■  ;  in  g  S  0  -     ■ ' 
;  ;ospect,  28. 


RUSSIAN  BANK 


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n^^ 


u\^^^ 


n^^' 


OPERATING  FROM  THE  30  OCTOBER  1871. 


<^ 


_r^_ 


J5 


Paid  up  capital  .   .    ■    .    ■ R.  20,000,000 

Reserve  capital  for  the  I  January  1899  .  R.  1,918,896 

Special  reserve  fund  at  the  disposal  of 

the  stockholders R.  723,802 

Working-  capital  during  1898  .       .       .  R.   10,182,035,187 
C^^3 


(T 


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Bank    offiee    in    St.    Petersburg   (32. 
Great  Morskaya). 


Branch  offices: 

In  Archangel. 

,,  Astrakhan. 

„  Kiev. 

„  Moscow. 

„  Nizhni-Novgorod. 

„  Nikoliev. 

„  Novorossiisk. 

„  Odessa. 

,,  Saratov. 

„  Tomsk. 


Agencies: 


In  London. 
„  Paris. 
,,  Genoa. 


Operations: 

Discount  of  bills  and  other  commercial  liabilities. 

Loans  and  credit  for  rents  and  goods. 

Payments  according  to  bills  and  other  securities. 

Grant  and  receipt  of  diafts. 

Purchase  and  sale  of  rents  and  dividends,  post-notes 
and  drafts,  bank  notes  paid  in  gold,  personal  and  on  com- 
mission. 

Sale  of  goods  on  commission. 

Subscription  received  on  commission  for  State,  local 
-Own  and  public  loans,  stocks,  shares,  bonds  and  mortgage 
deeds. 

Payments  on  commission  from  the  Government  and 
piivate  concerns  for  coupons  and  drawn  acts  Receipt  of  de- 
posits for  fixed  and  indefinite  periods,  and  for  contocurrent. 

Grant  of  Iransfe's  and  letters  of  credit  on  towns  ot  the 
Empire  and  abroad;  letters  of  credit  for  tea.  available  in 
China  and  Colombo,  for  cotton,  available  in  America,  Egypt 
and  India. 


-  ->^."^<- 


ANNOUNCEMKNTS. 


rf'lil I II III I'llH ■i'lll I II I'I'K   ^ 


TOBACCO  FABRIC 

Furnisher  to  the  IMPERIAL  COURT 

1  LaferMe  and  Co.  h 


CIGARETTES, 
CIGARS, 

TOBACCO,    I 

at  all  prices. 

Sale  throughout  Russia. 
Specially  recommendable  cigarettes: 
I  ^Zephyr"  10  pieces  10  k. 
I  ,.Frou-ltoii''  10  pieces  10  k.  j  | 

No  extra  charge  for  catalogues. 

9-th  line,  VasJIievsky  Ostiov,  St.  Peters-  |: 

burg.  0.  H. 
itmrt«imnnMNt«^34r»»sg 


Furnisher  to  the  Imperial  Court 

STRITTER. 


Ill 


qi  St.  Petersburg.         Moscow. 

JJ    established  in  1833.         established  in  1869. 

u    Spirit    rectification     and    brandy    and 
"  liquor  distilleries: 

^     St.  Petersburg:  90,  Obvodny  Canal. 
S        Koscot:  Krasnoe  Selo,  own  house. 
M   Warehouses:   at  the   N(zhni-N6vgorod 
n  (air  and  in  Kronstadt. 

Imperial  table  -wine  ■Jis  39,  bran- 
dies, infusions  and  liquors  pre- 
pared    -with      chemically     pure 

spirit. 

Apparatus    on    newest  and    improved 

systems. 


Telephone  J*  690. 


4  *.»=•.•==•.■='.■ 

j»  •T'l'iPr-T-  .rT-*.' 


GEORGE  BORMANN  and  Co. 

S-t.  PETERSBURG,^ 
MOSCOW.  KHARKOV 

Nizhni -Novg-orod    Fair. 

^  CHOCOLATE,  CACAO,  a 

<#  BISCUITS,  4r 

CARAMELS,  MONTPENSIER  and  MARMELADE. 


Wholesale  catalogue  post  free. 


1^1 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SffiERIAN  RAILWAY. 


*"'F(^^. 


uM^m§^y^ 


.^?^*"'r 


1^-t3-t2-t3C-C-a-C-t3-€3-€2-C-C-t3-C-a-0<3-0-0  f 


St  Petersburg: 

Great  .stable  Street,  •). 

Telephon  N:  361  &  2406. 

CorQer  of  Voznesensky    and 

Ekateringof  Ave.  R.  Kolbe. 

Telephon  N-  2410. 


Moscow: 

Maroseika  10.  Own  house. 
"Warsaw,  Odessa,  Rostov- 
on-Don,  Irkutsk,  Tiumen. 


Cable  -  address  -  Kolbe. 


ENGINEERING  CONTRACTIOR. 

To    the    Russian    Government,   Admiralty,  "War    Office   &c. 
Installations  of  all  kinds,  engines,  machine  tools  &c.  Equip- 
ment of  factories    and  shops.    Refrigerating  plants,    wagons, 
cars  &c.  &c. 


s^y^ 


j^  SHOW-ROOMS  AND  STOCK 

%^  Technical  and  of  electrical  supplies,  "''f 

If      Tubing,  valves,  faucets,  gauges,  tools,  belting    Aa 

f     concern  and  all  appliances  and  supplies  every      >j 

manufacturing. 

Chandeliers,   lustres,  brackets,  arc  lamps  and  all  supplies  for 

electric  lighting. 

Insulating  material,  gauges,  dynamos,  motors. 

Machine  tools  for  steam  and  electric  power  of  latest 
construction. 

Engines.  Pumps,  for  all  purposes. 
^^        Catalogues  estimates,  projects  on  application.        y)J^ 


>^        ^~— s^(2)  ^^^^^ '^ 


^^i:- 


ANNOUNCEMENTS. 


Kf 


-iizzzim-n 


^*A.bition  \^' 


A.  B.  Bary,  Engineer,  Constructor,    i 


Lc5  Main    office  —  Moscow,   Miasnitskaya   Street,   House  of 
05         the  Industrial  Museum. 

■g  Branch  offices  —  in  St.  Petersburg  (Nevsky,   68),  Sara- 
S         tov,  Tula  A  Lipetsk. 


CO 


Improved  horizontal  and  vertical  water  tnbe,  steam  boilers,  s; 
-  Engineer  V.  G.  SCHUKHOV'S  Patent,  ^ 

cs 

faO         manufactured  at  the  Boiler  Works  of  A.  B.  BARY,  engineer.  ^ 

1     Heaters  for  feed  water  (economisers)  anfl  superheaters.    ^  ^^ 

.^  CO 

«  THE  OFFICE  CONSTRUCTS:  & 

S  s 

steel  barges  to  carry  naphtha  products. 

Q3  CD 

S     steel  Tanks  to  store  naphha  products  and  spirits  of  wine. 


CD 

CD 

The  metallic  construction  of  Nich  furnaces. 


CO 

—     Iron  buildings  of  different  systems  for  various  factory  purposes.  to 

g  THE  OFFICE  UNDERTAKES.'  i 


S    The  complete  outfitting  of  Naphtha  Refineries  aud  Pipe — lines;  j« 

g    The   complete  mechanical  outfitting  of  grain  elevators.  5 

5;  The  office  Keeps  constantly  on  Stock   g- 
d  and  imports  from  America:  ^ 

American  steam  pumps,  manufactured  by  the  Blake  Mfg.  Co  in  Boston; 

M  American  scales  of  the  renowned  Nowe  Scale  Co.  in  Rutland. 

%  Thelegraphic  addresses:— Moscow,    Bary.— Petersburg,  —  Ingebary.— 

Saratov,  Bary. 


^ 


Qv;;jtwtv{v;=:;°{°tx;vt°;°:;Afe;^-;-':^^ 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


O  ^^ --^  O 


(, 


c) 


Nizhne-Tagil  and  Luniev  Works. 

SUCCESSORS    OF 

p.  p.  DctnfdoV,  prince  5an-ponato. 

(Verkhoturie  and  Solikamsk  districts  in  the  Perm  government). 

PRODUCE: 

Assorted  iron:  flat,  gun-earriage,  square-bar-iron,  round, 
flat  iron;  tyre,  hoop,  special,  C-shaped  bar-iron,  and  angle- 
iron  of  various  thickness,  width  and  length. 

Figured  iron. 

Boiler  plate  with  breadth  of  about  3  arshins  of  various 
thickness  and  length. 

Hul  and  Marine  iron  of  all  kinds  and  dimensions. 

Roof  iron:  dull  and  polished  iron  of  various  weight. 

Steel  (fined  steel),  blistered,  rod  and  tilted-cast-steel. 

Marten  assorted  and  spring  steel. 

Spade  steel. 

Bessemer  rails  of  all  sections. 

Railway  fastenings. 

Bar,  assorted  and  sheet  copper. 

Working  of  Malacliite  and  preparation  of  malacliite  green. 
^^ 

HEAD    OPPICE: 

At  the  Nizhne-tagil  Works,   Verkhoturie  district,    Perm  govern,   at  the 
station  of  Tagil  on  the  Perm-Tium6n  railway. 

MATERIALS  MAY  BE  OBTAINED 

direct  from  the  Works    and  Warehouses    in    Perm,    Ekaterinburg  and 

Tomsk;   in   European    Russia,    from    the    Chief   Office    (Moscow,   Bal- 

chug)  and    the    branch    offices    in    Rostov,    at  the    Nizhni  -  Novgorod 

I  fair  (Peski).  ; 


ANNOUNCEMENTS. 


iS> 


^^Spirit-Rectification  Brandy  and  Liquor  Distillery 

KELLER  &  C". 


St.  Petersburg 


Furnishers  to  the  Imperial  Court. 
6> 


Obvddny  canal,  Nq  92.    iV;^ 


(T*^"-^ 


Telephone  Ns  446. 


fkr^ 


Rectified  and  table  wine  prepared  of  rectified  spirit  of  highest    quality  with  im- 
proved apparatus  on  the  Vernike 

and  Saval  system. 

For  the  manufacture  of  special  articles  such  as: 

Infusions,  bitter  and  sweet  brandies  and  liquors,  the  distillery  was  transferred  to 
a  special  building,  J>fe  10,  Lvibenka  street.  The  apparatus  used  to  prepare  juice, 
beverages  of  berries  and  essences  have  been  adjusted  by  the  French  firm  Egraut. 

The  manufacture  is  oontroled  by  a  Magister  of  Chemistry  and  Doctors  of     ig 

Kedicine. 


The  Company  obtained  the  highest  prizes  and  honorary  diplomas  at  all  the  im- 
portant European  and  Russian  Exhibitions. 


ISI 


WOUTHIUGTOH. 

STEAM  PUMP  COMPANY. 

27.   Great  Morskaya,   St-Petersburg. 

Telegraphie  Address: 
"Worthing-ton— Petersburg-. 

Telephone  No  1593. 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


(5^#llM!)(n)©0(n)0@O0©(iMi)Of5)OOOO§(c5§O§0(li)(n)fDOPGJ5(<MMi)(n)§3§fi)0O5M3© 

141  o  ( -5  o  lit 


r 


!S) 


'^ 


THE  DIRECTION  OF 

The  Moscow-Yaroslav-Archangel  Railway 

informs  tlie  public  tliat  for  tlie  couyenience  of  exporters  anil  purclia- 
sers  tlie  Company  lias  orpniseil: 

Commercial  and  Transport  Agencies  in  tlie  towns  of 

Moscow,  Nizhni-Novgorod,  Yaroslav,  Vologda,  Kostroma,  Kineshma, 
Shuya,  Ivanov  and  Archangel  which 

Receive  and  deliver  goods  at  home  and  at  the  warehouses  of  the 
owners,  and  forward  goods  to  all  the  stations  of  Russian  and  foreign 
railways  in  direct  communication  with  the  former,  and  with  the  landing- 
stsges  on  the  Volga  and  Kdma,  through  the  medium  of  the_  Steamship 
Companies  taking  part  in  the  agreement; 

Transport  grain  abroad  through  Archangel  with  the  help  of  the  Archan- 
gel Commission  Office,  which  also  grants  loans  of  money  on  grain  and 
undertakes  sale  on  commission  at  the  foreign  markets; 

Insure  goods  at  the  stations  and  on  the  way; 

Receive  commissions  for  sale  of  goods; 

Press. and  pack  goods  in  specially  fitted  premises. 

Moreover  the  above  mentioned  Commercial  and  Transport  Agencies 
will  receive  the  declarations  of  the  goodsowners  regarding  the  rent  of  lots 
of  land,  according  to  a  special  agreement,  situated  near  the  stations  and 
suitable  for  the  establishment  of  warehouses,  reservoirs  etc.,  and  the  lease 
of  naphtha  pits  and  petroleum  reservoirs. 

All  these  services  are  rendered  by  the  Company  at  a  very  moderate 
cost,  according  to  tariff. 

The  Company  wishing  to  serve  the  interests  of  trade  and  industry  in 
the  regions  traversed  by  the  railways  of  the  Company,  with  a  view  to 
facilitate  the  conveyance  of  goods  to  the  stations  contributes  to  the  con- 
struction by  private  individuals,  towns  and  village  communes  of  lines  and 
ways  of  transportation,  reaching  the  lines  of  the  Company. 

Head  Office  of  the  Company;  5,  Galernaya,  St.  Petersburg, 

The  persons  interested  in  the  trade  and  industry  of  the  region  adjoin 
ing  the  Moscow-Yarosliv-Archangel  railway  are  desired  to  forward  to  the 
above  stated  address  communications  and  projects  tending  to  ascertain  the 
requirements  of  trade  and  industry. 

Direction  in  MOSCOW. 

m  o ' — '  °  M 

_  Ar.j)@(;j)ia^B(3(iIlO(a(il)Ei)§(15§^DQOOO<^Ml)O@E)Ola)OlIl)O(iil0 


ANNOUNXEMENTS. 


C?  : 


SOCIETY 


^rocard  S  & 

IIYEKTORS 

of ,, Flowers  Eau  de  Cologne", 

of  ,, Glyceric  Soap", 

of  ,,Glycerir\  Powder", 

PERFUMES: 

,,Lilas  de  Perse", 
,,An\bree  Violette". 

Perfume,  Soap,  Powder,  Cosmetios,  Sacliets. 


,,PETI\OL"for    the  hairs 

„PETI^OL  Soap" 


Great  streng 
thener  in  the 
case  of  falling  off. 


Offices  and  Warehouse: 
Moscow,  II  y  i n k a  St r. 

Branchhouse: 

in  St.  Petersburg,  Sadovaya  Str.  corner  of  Tolmazov  Str, 


GUrDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY 


t^ac- 


Moscow-Vindava-Rybinsk  Railway  Company. 

Among  the  numerous  railway  lines  exploited  and  built  by  the  above  mentioned  Company, 
the  following  are  now  open  to  traffic:  1)  the  Rybinsk-Pskov  line  with  two  branches,  one,  from 
the  station  of  Savdlino  to  the  town  of  KAshin,  the  other,  to  the  town  of  Kr^siy-Kholm;  2)  the 
Nbvgorod  line,  from  the  station  of  Chudovo  on  the  Nicholas  railway  throur^h  N6vgorod  to  the 
station  of  Stiraya  Riissa  on  the  Rybinsk-Pskov  line. 

Moreover  will  be  open  for  traffic  before  long  'he  Tukkiim-VindSva  sec'ion,  constituting  part 
of  the  future  main  line  from  Moscow  to  Vindiva,  and  the  section  of  Dno-Sok61niki  part  of  the 
future  St.  Petersburg-Kiev  line. 

The  Rybinsk-Bolog6e- Pskov  line  forms  a  link  connecting  the  upper  V61ga  and  its  tribu- 
taries with  the  ports  of  the  Baltic  Sea,  and  presents  the  shortest  way  for  passengers  and  goods 
from  the  V61ga  and  its  tributaries  through  Rybinsk  to  St.  Petersburg  and  Riga,  and  in  the  reverse 
direction. 

For  the  conveyance  of  grain  and  bulky  goods  from  Siberia  and  the  KSma  region  to  the  ports 
of  the  Baltic  Sea.  the  Siberia-K^ma  and  Baltic  direct  communication  h^s  been  ectablished  with 
the  help  of  the  Steamship  Companies  of  the  V61ga  and  Kima,  as  an  aid  to  the  through  railway 
traffic  by  way  of  Cheliabinsk-Mosccw  of  Viazma;  by  the  former  route,  the  exporters  of  grain, 
pig-iron  ores  etc.  forwarding  their  goods  from  the  stations  of  the  Mid  Siberian,  West-Siberian 
and  Perm-Tiumen  railways,  to  St.  Petersburg,  Revel,  Riga  and  Lib^va  via  L^vshino-Rybinsk. 
receive  a  document  direct  to  tha  point  of  destination  without  being  obliged  to  participate  in  the 
transfer  of  goods  to  the  water  (in  L^vshino)  and  thence  to  the  railway  (in  Rybinsk).  The  precise 
conditions  and  the  tariff  of  this  way  of  communication  were  published  in  H?  1042  of  the  Tariff 
Journal  of  the  Russian  Railways  issued  on  the  10  th  April  1899. 

For  the  conveniance  of  the  exporters,  the  Moscow-Vind4va-Rybinsk  railway  Company  orga- 
nised: Commercial  Commission  and  Transport  Agencies  in  Rybinsk  and  St.  Petersburg,  and  a 
Commission  Agency  in  Riga.  The  activity  of  these  Agencies  consists  in  the  grant  of  loans  on 
goods  for  moderate  per  cent,  receipt  of  commission  for  sale  of  grain  in  St.  Petersburg  of  Riga; 
storage  of  goods  at  favourable  conditions:  forv/arding  of  grain  products  from  St.  Petersburg  to 
Finnland;  transfer  of  goods  in  Rybinsk  from  the  V61ga  to  the  railway  and  back  etc. 

More  precise  information  may  be  obtained  in  the  Moscow-Vind^va-Rybinsk  Railway  Com- 
pany's Direction  (I.  Demidov  str.  St.  Petersburg),  of  from  the  managers  of  the  above  mentioned 
Agencies:  1,  E.  Dukdlsky  in  Rybinsk.  P.  P.  Forostbvsky  in  St.  Petersburg  (30,  Vasilievsky- 
Ostrov.  11  th  line)  and  S.  V.  Pashkbvsky  in  Riga  (2,  Nasl^dnik  Boulevard). 


f 


i 


ANNOUNCEMENTS. 


l-Si^S^t^.-XflSfl'S.^ 


,-^ 


r  ^f  ir^^WHitC' 


First  prize  HIgliest  award  at  tlie  Nizlini  N6vgorod  Exhiblllon. 

W.  f  itzncr  ^  t  Gatttpcr,  £' 


— -M- — 

Engineers,  Founders,  Boiler  Maiters,  Iron  Roof  & 

Bridge-Builders. 

CENTRAL,    works: 
Sieleenear  Sosnowice.  Warsaw-Vie  nna  Rly.  Russian  Poland- 
Boilers.  Iron  Structures,  Eng-ineering  Works. 

Dombrowa.  Warsaw-Vienna  Rwy,  Russian  Poland-  Engineering 

Works,  Foundry. 

Kramatorskaja,   Kursk-Kharkov  -  Sebastopol  Rly.  South 

Russia. 

Boilers,  Bridies,  Iron  Slriictiires  &  Macliliiery  for  Blast-furnaces  & 

Miulni  Dlants, 

Q  F  F  I  Q  ®  S:^ 

St. -Petersburg,   Moscow,  "Warsaw,  Kiev,  Odessa,   Ekaterino- 

slav,  Lodz. 

SPECIALITIES: 

Boilers  of  all  types  &  sizes: 

Lancashire,  Cornish,  Locomotive.  Marine,  FITZNER— CAMPER'S  pat. 
Safety  Water-tube  boilers.  Tubular  boilers,  Lachepelle  &  other  vertical  ii 
combined  type  of  Boilers  of  all  descriptions. 

All  holes  drilled  in  position. 

Hydraulic  Rivetting,   Pneumatic  Caulking. 

IRON  STRUCTURES  &  FORCINGS:  Iron  Roofs  &  Bridges,  Halls  etc. 
Complete  Installations  of  Blast  furnaces.    Rolling-Mills  &  Mining  plants. 

WELDED  ARTICLES  of  any  kind  &  up  to  any  weight: 

Steam  Collectors,  High— pressure  pipes  for  Steam  &  Water.  FITZNER- 
CAMPER'S  pat.  Curved  Galloways-tubes,  Flues  for  Lancashire  &  Cornish 
Boilers,  Welded  Fire-boxes,  Spherical  Boilers  for  Paper  &  Cellulose 
mills  etc. 

Welding  by  Watergas. 

Machinery,  apparatus  &  complete  Installations  for  Sugar  Works  & 

Refineries. 

Machinery  &  Apparatus  for  Distilleries,  Breweries,  Paper  mills  & 
Chemical  Works. 

Material  &  Workmanship  oi  the  highest  quality. 

Estimates,  plans,  illastrated  catalogues  &  particulars 
free  on  application. 


N 


7 


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•f 


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10 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAO^WAY. 


STEAMSHIP  COMPANY 

CAUCASUS  and  MERCURY. 


If 

m 


Regular   passenger  traffic  between  Nizhni-Novgorod,  Astrakhan  and  ^ 
the  Ports  of  the  Caspian  Sea 

carried  on  by  conyenient  steamers  fitted  with  electric  light,      ^ 

Goods  are  received  for  transport 

to  the  Volga,  to  the  Ports  of  the  Caspian  M 
Sea,  to  the  Transcaspian  region,  Central  i| 
Asia  and.  back,  according  to  desire  of  ex-  m 
porters    with    insurance    and   on   duplicate  M 


AQEHCIB) 


In  Moscow,  St.  Petersburg,  Warsaw,  Lodz,  Rostov  on  the  Don,  m 

in  all  the  Volga  and  Caspian  towns  as  well  as  in  Tiflis,  She-  |l 

makha,  Shusha,  Nukha,  Temir-KlicR-Sli'ia,  Askliabd,  Merv,  Char-  S 

dzhul,  Khiva,  Bukhara,  Samarkand,  Tashkent,  Kokan,  Andizhan  ^ 

and  Namangan.  Il 

Heafl  Office  M  wholesale  warelioiise: 

llj'inka,  house  of  the  Commercial  Company,  Moscow. 
Branch:  Saddvaj'a,  corner  of  Tolmazov  str.   St.  Petersburg. 


ANNOUNCEMENTS. 


11 


I  T.  Denker  and  y,  ;> 


♦e'.<w:.3«»<:i«»o«»e;««o— u«»tj<»C>«»C3<»o»*C3<»0»»o— c^— cj<»o— o«»''.3«»e?«»t;«»<;'.)<»..  •e3«»ei» 


A  0 


i 


from  1815. 

St.  Petersburg". 


Foreign  and  Russian  wines,  Champagne,  Cog- 
nac, Rum  and  Liquors. 

Red  and  White  Claret,  Burgundy  and  Rhine  wines  of 
superior  qualit}'.  Verjr  old  Sherrj-  (Amontillado),  Madeira, 
Portwnne,  sweet  and  dry  dessert  wines. 

Own   12  wine  cellars  in  St  Petersburg. 

Office:   6,   Volkhov    str.  Vasi'lievsky  Ostrov. 

Catalogues  post-free  on  application. 


a-ast:: 


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'<x^S»<:^S:><:^S^<i=i^^^<:^S»<^^S»<<^S»<^^S^><^^S»<^^S>>^^:^£» 


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ST.  PETERSBURG. 

1)  20,  N^Tsky  prospect 

2)  36,  Nevskj-  prospect. 

3)  106,  NeTslcv  prospect. 

4)  25—1.  Vasilievsky  Ostrov,  opposite  the  Nicholas  bridge. 

5)  UK".  SadcjTaya  square  (in  the  .\prAiin  yard). 


SHOPS: 


(9" 


■q) 


\9 


12  GUIDE  TO  THE  UREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Kramatorskaya-MetalliiF  W  lical-ConipaDy  Limited 

near  station  Kramatorskaya  Kursk-Khdrkov-Sebastopol  Railway. 

A(l<lress:  Telegraphic  and  Postal  Station  Ki'amatorskaya  Government  of 

Kharkov,  Russia. 

TelegTai)hic  address:  Domna  Kramatorskaya. 

Manufacturers  of: 

Foundry  pig-iron  of  high  quality.  Castings  of  all  kinds  up  to  pieces  of 

2000  puds  in  weight. 

Air-blowing-engines.  Bending-rolls    and  Lifting-engines,   Complete  Rol- 
ling-mills, Straightening-presses.  Shearing-machines. 

Specialities: 

Complete  Installations  for  Mining  and  Metallurgical  Works,  Moulds  and 

Bending-rolls  of  all  sizes.  ' 

Head-oflices  of  the  Company:  SI.  Petersburg,  Nevsky  Prospect,  32.        _i' 


MINERAL    WATERS 
„KELLER  &  Co". 

Furnishers  to  the  Imperial  Court. 

9 

»92,  Obv6dny  canal,  St.  Petersburg.  Telephone  K?  446. 

The  preparation  of  the   waters  is  subjected  to  the  control  of  a 
doctor  of  medicine  and  entrusted  to  a  magister  of  pharmacy. 


I 


^GUIDE 


TO 


The  Great  Siberian  Railway, 


-i^ 


Publislied  liy  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  Cominuncation, 

EDITED  BY 

A.  I.  Dtnifriez'-Mdtnotiop 

and 

A.  F.  Zdsidrski,  Raihcay  Engineer. 


English  Translation  by  Miss  L.  KiikolYasnopolsky, 

REVISED  BY 
yohn   Marshall. 


With  2  phototypes.   360  photo-gravures.   4  maps  of  Siberia 
and  3  plans  of  towns. 


ST.  PETERSBURG. 
Typography  of  the  Artistic  Printing  Society,  English  Prospect,  28. 

1900. 


Printed  with  the  autority  of  the  Ministry  of  Ways  and  Communication. 


Z^3 


92407f^ 


The  Artistic 

^  Printing-Society,  'm 

Typography,  Litography, 
PHOTOTYPY, 
Printing  of  notes.  Photo-lithography. 
Chromo-phototypy. 

St.-Petersbourg, 
English   Prospect.   Ns  28. 


6 


HIS   IMPERIAL  MAJESTY 

JVlCHOLAS     AlEXANDROVICH, 

Autocrat  of  All  the  Russias. 
Host  August  President  of  the  Committee  of  the  Siberian  Railway. 


'h  the  aut.  of  the  Minist.  of  the  Court  Imperial. 


„Art.  Printing  Society",  St.  Petersburg,  Prosp.  Engl..  Ni  28. 


Geographical  and  Historical  Review  of  Siberia. 


t  acquaintance  of  Russians  and  foreigners  with  Siberia. — 
Iperficial  area  and  extension,  administrative  division. — Relief, 
orography  and  geological  structure  of  the  continent. — Mineral 
wealth — Hydrography  and  climate. — Vegetation. — Fauna. — 
Gradual  occupation  by  the  Russians  of  the  whole  of  Siberia.^ 
Exploration  by  sea  and  land. — Colonisation  and  exile. — Popula- 
tion according  to  the  census  of  1897. — Siberian  native  tribes. — 
Results  of  the  civilising  policy  of  the  Russian  Government  in 
the  East. 


i¥ 


^ 


HE  first  acquaintance  with  the  northern  inhabitants  of  the 
Asiatic  continent  was  due  to  the  enterprising  citizens  of  Nov- 
gorod who,  already  in  the  XI  century,  were  in  commercial  rela- 
tions with  them.  All  the  tribes  dwelling  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  northern 
Ural  and  along  the  scores  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  were  known  under  the  name 
of  Yiigry.  The  geographical  knowledge  of  foreigners  as  regards  the  lands 
lying  beyond  the  Ural  Range  begins  only  with  the  XlII  century,  or  with  the 
time  of  the  travels  of  Ascelin.  Rubrukwiss.  Piano  Carpini  and  Marco  Polo. 

The  work  of  the  famous  Venetian  contains  some  precious  particulars 
about  the  Pamir,  Eastern  Turkestan,  Mongolia.  China  and  even  Japan,  but 
Siberia  remained  unkno^vn  to  him. 

The  towns  of  Bukhara  and  Samarkand  are  marked  on  a  map  compiled 
in  1375,  but  the  north  of  Asia  is  represented  as  a  desert.  Later  on,  the  Dzha- 
gatdi,  .\ltai  and  other  mountains  are  to  be  found  on  the  globe  constructed 
by  Fra  Mauro  in  1457,  but  the  country,  comprising  the  present  territory  of 
Siberia,  was  designated  by  him  as  a  narrow  strip  of  unknown  land  stretching 
between  the  Altiii  and  the  Arctic  Ocean.  More  precise  geographical  notions 
relative  to  the  Transural  countries  were  first  given  in  1544  by  the  Cosmo- 
graphy of  Sebastian  Munster  published  in  Basle  and,  two  years  later,  by  the 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


V 


faiiuius  work  of  Baron  Herberstoin  entitled:  „Kerum  Moskuvilicaruin  commen- 
tarii".  Miinster's  map  contains  the  river  Ob  in  the  extreme  East,  the  lands  of 
the  Voguls,  Kahuyks,  Kirgiz-Kaisaks  and  the  town  of  Sybir.  The  map  of 
Herberstein,  although  somewhat  more  detailed  than  Miinster's,  still  gives  but 
a  slight  idea  of  the  Transural  countries.  For  example,  the  Ob  is  supposed  to 
flow  from  the  extensive  „lake  of  Cathay"  (Kithay  lacus);  the  Ural  ridge  bears 
the  name  of  „the  girdle  of  the  earth"  (Montes  dicti  cingulus  terrae),  the  town 
Sybir  is  not  shoAvn  at  all;  to  the  north,  between  the  Ural  and  the  Ob.  a  place 
is  set  apart  for  heathen  temples  (Aarea  anus,  Slata  baba). 

.\niong  the  oldest  maps,  there  is  one  made  for  theTsarevich  Peodor  Bori- 
sovich  Godunov,  completed  in  1624  by  Gessel  Gerard  for  the  Tsar  Mikhail 
Peodorovich,  which  includes  Siberia  comprising  a  region  containing  the  towns 
of  Tiumen  and  Tobolsk. 

At  the  present  time,  Siberia  is  the  collective  name  for  all  the  Asiatic  domini- 
ons of  the  Russian  Empire, 
exclusive  of  Transcauca- 
sia, Transcaspia  and  Tur- 
kestan; the  Ural  andTurgai 
steppe  territories,  stre- 
tching beyond  the  river 
Ural  and  far  into  the  inte- 
rior of  Central  Asia  do  not 
belong  to  Siberia,  their  ad- 
ministrative centres  being 
situated  in  European  Rus- 
sia. There  have  been  fre- 
quent discussions  among 
philologists  as  to  the  mea- 
ning of  the  word  ^Siberia": 
some  suppose  that  it  is  a 
local  word  of  the  ZjTians 
and  Ostiaks,  but  commnn 
to  all  the  Ural  races  and 
adopted  by  the  Nogais. 
In  connexion  with  some 
archaeiilogical  researches 
among  the  remains  of  pre- 
historic civilisation,  stu- 
dents of  the  East  of  Asia 
suppose  that  the  word  Si- 
beria may  be  identified 
with  the  name  of  the 
Huns  or  Savirs. 
At  present  Siberia  proper  includes  the  following  regions: 
1)  Western  Siberia  comprising  the  governments  of  Tobolsk  and  Tomsk 
in  the  basin  of  the  Ob,  subject  to  the  general  system  of  administration  adopted 
in  the  governments  of  European  Russia. 

sq.  miles.  sq.  versts. 

Tobolsk  gov 26.749.9        1,295,758.0 

Tomsk  gov 15,572.5  749,819.3 

Total 42,322.4        2,045,577.3 


Plate  1.  Monument  to  Yerm4k.  the  Conqueror  of  Siberia. 


GEOORM'lllCAL  ANn  HISTORiru.  HKVIKW  OF  SIBERIA.  3 

•J)  I'lasiiTii  Silioria,  fciiniirisiim-  lln'  j^dvi-rnnu'iils  nf  Yeniseisk  .iiiil  ii'liiilsk 
ill  till'  basin  of  the  Ycnisi'i,  ami  tlic  tcrritorN  nf  Yakutsk  in  llii-  liasin  of  llie 
IjMia,  Yana.  iniliirirka  and  Ki)lyiiia,  under  a  govei-nor-iieneral  resident  at 
Irkutsk. 

sq.  miles.  sq.  versls. 

YiMiisi'isk  ciiY 4(),()1HI.«        2,2.')'.>..')ti2.:5 

Irkutsk  irov 14..342.S  7();!.ti.-)0.:! 

Yakutsk  ter 71,358.3        3,452.(55,5.3 

132,()0().9        fi.415.S(37.y 

3)  Thf  nortli-we.stern  part  ef  tlio  A.siatic  steppes,  cnmprisin.e;  two  terri- 
tories "under  tile  auilioriiN   of  tlie  lidvernor-iceneral  id'  tiie  Steppe  country. 

sq.  miles.  sq.  versts. 

.\kiiiolinsk  ter y,9O3.0  479,200.2 

Semipalatinsk  ter 8,856.7  428„527.8 

lS.7r)9.7  907,728.0 


« 

PI.  2.  Cone  ol  Og  Dzhetnes  on  the  shore  of  Laice  Borovu..  Kv.^..ltoiavi>k  district.  Aicmolinsk 

terr.  (phot,  by  Krilcov). 

4)  Tiie  Aiiii'ir  I>ittorai  region  coniiMisiiiir  three  territories  and  the  Island 
of  Sakli;din.  united  under  the  i;ovei-nor-!i;eneral  uf  the  .\niur  reirioii.  includinic 
the  Russian  part  of  the  .\iiuii'  basin  and  tile  iJttoral  beloni^iiiii'  to  tlie  Ij.isin 
of  the  I'aeilie  Oeean,  toi^etlier  with  llii'  peninsula  id'  KaMieli:itk,i  and  the 
Island  of  Sakhalin. 

sq.  miles.  sq.  versts. 

Transbaikiil 1I..325.2  .547.9().-).fi 

Amur  ter 8.128.1  393.3(iti.ti 

Littoral  ter 32,125.0  1.562,602.0 

Sakhalin 1,379.0  66.762.0 

.52.957.3        2.570.756.2 

lA 


(il-IIIE  TCI  THE  (IRKAT  SIIIKIilAN    I; AILWAY. 


Thus.  Siberia    cnilirMccs  an  iinincnso  siipci'lirial    area  of  'i-iti/UO.H    S(|iiarp 


ircoirrapliical 
loniiitiiiic. 

BnlllulcM 


Ics,  williiii    45      and    7' 
I    (111    till'    uiirlli    liv    llir    Arclic.  aiK 


X.  iatididc  ami  (in'  anil    !'.)()'  K 


the  oast  by  the  Pacific 
Ocoan.  Siberia  extends 
towards  the  south  to  tlie 
Chinese  I-iniiiii'e,  and  is 
liiiinided  on  the  west  by 
ihe  L'nil  range. 

In  size,  the  area  of 
Siberia  represents  the 
'/i3  part  of  the  continent- 
al surface  of  tlie  globe. 
and  is  about  iVa  times 
as  large  as  Europe,  2*/:) 
times  as  large  as  the 
surface  of  European 
Russia,  and  25  times  as 
large  as  Germany. 

Covering  so  vast  an 
area,  Siberia  must  nec- 
essarily possess  a  very 
diversified  relief  and  ge- 
ological structure,  and  a 
most  varied  climate,  flora 
and  fauna. 

Beyond  the  Unil,  the 
traveller  comes  to  the 
limitless  plain  of  West- 
tern  Siberia,  having  but 
a  slight  altitude  above 
the  level  of  the  Arctic 
Dcean,  extending  over 
1.5IK)  versts  to  the  east, 
and  sloping  trom  south 
to  north.  Its  surface  is 
occasionally  broken  by 
low  ridges  and  hills  with 
an  altitude  of  scarcely  500  feet.  The  Kirgiz  steppe  gradually  emerging  on 
tlie  southwest  from  this  lowland,  comes  up  to  the  Caspian  and  .■Vi-al  Sea,  which 
at  a  remote  time  formed  one  wide  sea,  whose  bed  including  the  three  basins 
of  the  Balkiish,  the  Aral,  and  tlie  Casiiian.  is  known  b,\-  the  cnllective  name  of 
Aralo-Caspian  depression. 

The  region  of  the  Kirgiz  slepjies  is  not  absolutely  level:  their  wide  sur- 
face is  sometimes  broken  by  low,  but  very  distinct  ridges  and  dmne-like  hills 
of  crystalline  rock,  mostly  granite,  diorite,  diabase  and  other  minerals  inclu- 
din.g  ores  of  coi)]ier.  argentiferous  lead  and.  at  some  points,  auriferous  gra- 
vels (pi    21. 

This  treeless  country  with  characrteristic  vegetation,  salt  marshes, 
brackish  lakes  and  scant.\-  ste]ipe  rivers.  iniperci'i)tilily  )iassing  into  the  desert 
plains  of  Centr.-il  .\si;i.  reaches  the  phiteau   of  TiiiVm.  ■.\ni\   is  only    visited    by 


PI.  3.  The  AltSi.  Bom  Ity-Kaia  on  the  river  Chulyshman 
(phot,  by  prof.  Sap6zhnikov). 


GE<^ORAPHIC.\L  A.\l>  HISTORICAL  REVIKW  OF  HIBERIA. 


PI.  4.  Altii,  the  Yedygim  torrent  (phot,  by  prof.  Sapdzhnikov). 

created  at  the  points 
where  the  steppes  are 
traversed  by  tlie  river 
basins  of  the  Ainu,  S.vr- 
Daria  and  Hi. 

The  character  of  the 
country,  havins;  a  gener- 
al inclination  towards 
the  Arctic  Ocean,  chan- 
ges upon  reaciiing  tlie 
tributaries  of  the  Ob- 
Irtysh  basin,  which  repre- 
sents one  ot  the  largest 
basins  on  the  earth's 
surface,  and  can  only  be 
■ompared  in  respect  of 
its  vohime  to  some  of  the 
Siberian  watersystems. 
and  to  that  of  the  Yel- 
hnv  and  Blue  Rivers,  the 
Nile,  the  Mississippi  and 
the  Amazon. 

The  steppe,  contain- 
ing a  great  number  of 
large  and  small  lakes, 
presents  a  more  varied 
flora  and  a  more  abund- 
ant tree  vegetation.  The 
Ishim.  Barabii,  and  Ku- 
lundin  steppes  included 
in  the  middle  zone  of  Si- 
beria, although  bearing 
the  name  of  steppes,  con- 
tain  extensive   areas  of 


nomads.  Extending  to- 
wards the  west,  these 
steppe  lands  once  served 
as  an  outlet  lor  different 
tribes  leaving  Central 
.\sia.  during  the  great 
migrations  of  nations 
which,  beginning  with 
the  movement  of  the 
Huns,  continued  till  the 
great  Mongolian  inva- 
sion of  the  XIII  century. 
Vt  a  remote  date,  cent- 
res of  civilisation  belong- 
ing to  different  Arian 
and  Turanian  races  were 


PI.  5.  AltSi.  the  Belukha  and  the  Katun  glacier  (phot,  by 
prof.  Sap6zhnikov). 


(J  GTIDIC  Til  TIIK  riRKAT  SIBKHIAX    liAII.WAY 

fei-tili' aiuraraUli' ..chcrMMzinm"  iir  lilack  rartli.  This  rcninn  fiiiiin-iscs  the  mnsi 
prospcnius  districts  of  the  TulKilsk  ami  Tcmisix  iinvcrnnicnts  il\uri;:iii.  Ishim. 
S'alutDrovsk,  Tara.  Tiukalinsk.  Kainsk,  Barnaiil  ami  Hiisk).  whicii  (•(jiistitiitc 
tlic   granary  of  Siberia. 

Tli(>  asjcricuKiira!  zunc  of  Wostcrn  Siberia  covers  a  space  of  S.tioo  si|. 
jipoffr.  miles,  and  incliidiiii;  throughmit  areas  of  forest  land,  is  essentially  fit 
tor  the  develo|inient  of  auricidture  by  a  settled  po]>nlatioii. 

As    stated    b\    Bi'ehiri.  the  chernozioni  or  black  earth  is  the  real  treasiii'e 


PI.  6.  The  river  Katiin  (phot,  by  Sa26nov). 


of  Siberia,  upon  which  depends  the  futm-e  prosperity  of  the  country.  The 
land  stretching  towards  the  north  with  an  increased  fall,  becomes  more 
swampy  within  the  intricate  system  of  the  Ob  and  Irtysh  tributaries,  and  in 
the  Vasiugiinsk  steppe,  bounded  by  these  rivers.  pr(>senls  a  low  plain  cove- 
red by  dense  forests  of  lofty  trees. 

This  forest  zone  alternating;  with  tracts  of  cultivable  land,  comprises  the 
northern  parts  of  the  Turinsk,  Tobolsk  and  Tara  districts,  the  southern  poi-- 
tion  of  the  Surgi'it  and  Beriozov  districts,  within  the  Tobolsk  irovernment. 
and  the  extensive  Xarym  <-ountry  in  the  Tomsk  unvernment. 

The  forest  zone  or  .taii^a"  whicli  divides  Siberia  into  well  nuirked  sections 
has  a  total  area  of  17.0(K)  sq.  geogr.  miles.  The  lil.iomy  and  thick  fir- 
woods  offer  more  varied  species  of  trees  upon  reachin.i;-  the  hi,a:h  land  pre- 
ceding the  Kuznetsk  Alatau  and  the  Altai.  Extending  towards  the  north, 
these  continuous  forests  sejiarate  into  scattered  groves,  with  a  thinner  and 
diminishing  vegetation,  which  gradually  passes  into  dwarf  bushes.  This 
section  characterised  as  ,tiindra".  with  an  almost  |)i'rpetually  frozen  soil  and 
a  nuirshy  surface,  covered  with  moss  and  lichens,  is  entirely  unfit  for  civi- 
lised settled  colonisation. 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  REVIEW  OF  SIBERIA.  7 

This  i>olar  znnc.  lyiiii:  Ix'VimkI  tU  nf  X.  latiUnic  ami  ('(uniirisinj;  an  area 
(if  7.(in<)  s((.  jreojir.  miles.  incliKlos  parts  of  the  BtM-iozov  and  Surgut  districts 
III'  the  Tobolsk  irovernment.  The  frozen  subsoil  of  this  rcition  in  summer 
thaws  only  to  a  dei)th  of  half  an  arshin,  and  consists  of  alternate  layers  of 
frozen  earth,  clay  and  ice.  which  serve  as  a  liasis  tn  the  tundra    formations. 

The  West-Siberian  lowland  possesses  an  alluvial  soil  which  contains  no 
stones  over  its  whole  extent. 

It  is  only  the  south-eastern  part,  of  Western  Siberia  that  rises  to  a  con- 
siderable altitude  above  the  sea  level,  gradually  passing  into  the  grand  Altai 
highland.  Iiounded  on  the  west  by  the  extensive  Sayan  mountain  range  (pi.  X 
4.  7.  !t.  10.  11). 

This  alpine  plateau,  embracing  a  superficial  area  of  about  7.80(1  sip  geogr. 
miles,  is  ten  times  as  large  as  Switzerland.  Its  surface  is  covered  with  nume- 
rous mountain  ridges,  divided  by  inirallel.  and  at  some  points  perpendi- 
cular valleys. 

These  hills  run  from  east  to  west,  their  irspective  ranges  representing 
a  half  opened  fan.  The  Xarym  mountain  ridge,  which  on  the  south  is  boundod 
by    till'   vallex    of   Bukhtarma.  pursues   an   almost  parallel  course,  while  the 


7.  Alts:,  the  Talmen  lake  iphot.  by  prof.  Sap6zhnikov). 


KuznetsK  Alatau.  leaving  the  eastern  border  of  the  Altai  hiirliland.  stretches 
to  the  north-west  in  a  peri>endicular  line,  and  the  Salair  range  takes  a 
diagonal  direction  between  the  two  above  mentioned  mountain  ridges.  The 
high  summits  of  the  Altai  bear  the  name  of  „l)elki".  which  means  .al|)s". 
reaching  above  the  zone  of  eternal  snow.  The  Katunskie  Stolby  are  the 
highest  among  them,  the  Helukha.  which  is  its  most  elevated  and  piciu- 
resnue  point,  having  an  altitude  of  11..=1(ki  f  (pi.  .",). 

Many  other  mountain    ridges  are    perpetually   snow-clad,   some   of  their 
Iteaks  exceeding  the  height  of  9.000  feet. 


8 


GlilDE  TO  THK  (iUEAT  SIDERIAN   UAILWAY. 


Thu  „bi'lki"uf  the  Altai  arc  IVtrnu'd  priiuMpallN-  (if  i-r>  stallinc  rdcks.cuntaininii 
granite,  syenite,  diorite  and  porphyrx . 

The  sedimentary  rocks  raised  l)y  crystalline  strata  lielonu'  to  tlic  palaeo- 
zoic aire,  divided  into  the  upper. silurian.  the  devonian  and  the  carbonifer- 
ous systems.  The  Juras- 
sic formation  occurs  only 
on  the  northern  slope  of 
the  Altai.  Deposits  of  sil- 
ver-lead and  copper  ores 
are  found  between  cryst- 
alline and  sedimentary 
rocks.  The  considerable 
glaciers  of  the  Belukha 
are  the  teeding-nround 
of  the  Katiin  (pi.  fi)  which 
together  with  the  Biya 
forms  the  river  Ob.  The 
picturesque  and  large 
Lake  Teletsk  which  in 
its  beauty  is  not  inferior 
lo  the  Lake  of  the  Four 
Oantons  (Vierwaldstat- 
ter),  has  an  outflow 
through  the  Biya. 

The  shores  of  this 
aliiinelake,  situated  at 
an  elevation  of  473  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
have  a  wild  and  impo- 
sing beauty. 

The  surface  of  the 
blue  waters,  framed  in 
verdant  and  hilly  shores, 
narrows  gradually,  jires- 
sing  its  gushing  and 
silver-lined  waves  over  reefs  into  the  steep  and  mcky  bed  of  the  Biya. 

Both  rivers  meet  at  the  foot  of  the  Altai  and,  joining  their  waters,  foi-m 
the  majestic  Ob.  The  Ani'ii,  Charysh,  and  Alei  which,  upon  the  left,  are  the 
u|)per  tributaries  of  the  Ob,  take  their  rise  on  the  Altai  plateau.  The  Chumysh. 
Tom,  and  Chulym,  rising  atnong  the  Kuznetsk  .Vlatau.  fall  into  the  Ob  on  the 
right.  The  upper  branches  of  the  Irtysh,  (lowing  into  the  Zaisan  lake,  also 
take  their  rise  on  the  northern  slope  of  the  .\ltai  plateau  within  the  confines 
of  the  Chinese  Empire,  .\fter  leaving  the  lake,  the  Irtysh  receives  from  the 
right  the  Bukhturma,  Uba  and  Ulba,  rising  among  the  belki  of  the  Siberian 
.Mtai.  Th(*  valleys  of  these  ri\-6rs,  the  north-western  slope  of  the  .\ltai.  the 
Salair  ridge  and  the  Kuznetsk  Alatau  are  well  provided  with  silver-lead  and 
copper  ores,  with  iron-ore.  iputrries  of  vnried-coloiu'ed  stones,  and  gold  in 
veins  and  gravel. 

The  remains  of  the  ancient  CIumI  mini's  found  at  many  plac{>s,  and  the 
name  of  the  mountains  „.\ltai",  which  means  .gold  nmuntalns".  are  a  testi- 
mony to    the    mineral    wealth    of   the   country,  which  already  in  jirehistoric 


Pi.  8.  Altai,  ttie  Razsypnoi  cataract  (phot,  by  prof.  Sapozhnii^ovi. 


i 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  REVIKW  OF  SIBERIA.  9 

linu's  was  known  to  its  inhabitants.  The  Altiii  mmintains  contain  licaiitit'iil 
.liorphyries  and  jaspers  of  ditTci-cnt  colours,  occiirrinic  |)arlicularly  on  the  Kor- 
gon  ridsre.  on  the  banivs  of  the  ("harvsh  and  .\lei.  and  in  the  environs  of  the 
Ridersic  mines. 

Rich  beds  of  coal,  included  ciiietl.v  in  the  Kuznetsk  coal-basin  i.ving 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Altai  minin.i;  district  between  the  ridges  of 
Salair  and  Alatau.  rejiresent  the  irreatest  treasure  of  the  Altai. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  .\ltai  plateau  is  almost  uninhabitable  on 
account  of  its  elevated  jiosition  and  its  rock.v  and  stone-scattered  soil:  the 
well-watered   plains,  stretchinj;  at    the   foot   ofthe   mountains  and   interrup- 


Pl.  9.  Altai.  T: 


(phct.  by  Sazbnov). 


ted  by  hills  and  valleys,  are  however  well  adapted  for  colonisation,  agri- 
culture, trade  and  industry. 

The  Tarl«iirat;ii  mountain  ridire  stretches  froui  the  47'  parallel  of  X. 
latitude,  south-west  of  the  Altai  .uroup.  It  has  an  altitude  of  10,(mm)  feet  at 
its  highest  point,  and  runs  parallel  to  the  gigantic  Thian-Khan.  The  mountain 
ranges  separate  a])iireciably.  forming  a  wide  passage  between  the  Siberian 
steppes  and  Central  Asia,  through  which  passed  the  i>rehistoric  nations  coming 
from  the  heights  of  Tunin  and  Central  Asia. 

The  relief  of  Eastern  Siberia  is  of  a  quite  ditt'erent  nature.  From  the  bor- 
ders of  the  Mariinsk  and  Achinsk  districts,  the  country  grows  more  hilly 
and  is  clad  with  forest.  The  Sayan  mountain  ridge  leaving  the  chain  of 
Tannu-olii  runs  in  a  solid  mass  through  the  Yeniseisk  and  the  western  part 
of    the    Irkiitsk    government,    divided    further    into    many   branches    which 


10 


(.nilK  TO  TIIK  GRKAT  SLBKRIAX    KAILWAY. 


stretch    tar    iiorthwanls    lie.Mind    tiO°.    and    liivo    a  iiinuiilainnus  rharactcr  to 
the  whole  country. 

Alter  leavinj?  the  Sayan,  the  Yenisei  brealis  thnniiiii  its  chain  anil  flows 
among  mountains  and  passes,  winding  its  way  among  tine  clifTs.  The  highest 
ridge  of  the  Sayan,  stretching  from  the  southern  i)art  ot'the  Irkutsk  government 
to    the    Chinese    border,  culminates  there  in  the  Munkii-Sai'dvk.  risina'  to  an 


PI.  10.  Altai.  Valley  of  the  Upper  Ilgumen  iphot.  by  Sazbnov). 


altitude  of  11.4H0  leet  ahove  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  Tiinkinsk  mountain  range, 
which  is  the  most  im|iortant  among  the  foremost  ridges,  runs  somewhat 
north  of  tile  Sa\an  in  a  parallel  line  to  this  group,  and  lies  nearest  to 
Irkutsk. 

The  Baikal  mountains,  which  cuntinue  tln^  range  of  the  Sayan  in  a 
north-eastern  direction,  have  an  elevation  of  about  (i.(Kin  feet  ahove  the  level  of 
th(!  sea.  and  skirt  lake  Baikal  which,  lying  at  a  height  of  l.,it)l  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  is  one  of  the  largest  lakes  in  the  world,  covering  an 
area  of  .'JO.D.'U  sq.  versts.  It  receives  the  waters  of  the  U])|)er  .Vnirarji,  the 
Bargiisin  and  the  Sclenga,  and  is  the  source  of  the  mighty  brancli  df  the 
Yenisi'i.  the  .Xngani.  which  pushing  aside  the  harrier  of  mountains,  rushes 
past  t'liffs  to  th(>  north,  meetiiiir  IVe(|uent  impediments  in  its  course. 

The  Stanovoi  nr  Y;iblon(iv\  nmuntain  ridge  stretching  up  to  Kamch:ilka. 
niirth-east  from  the  Haik:il.  for  a  distance  of  above  ;),()(«)  versts.  torms  the 
watershed   <<i'  the    rivers    flowing    along  its  north-western  side  to  the  Arctic 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  REVIEW  OF  SIBERIA. 


II 


"oeiin.  anil  of  thnse  which  along  its  snulh-eastern  sloiio  drain  into  the 
Pacific  Ocean. 

This  mountain  chain  is  not  iiarticularlx  high,  rising  at  some  jmints 
hardy  to  2..'><*i  feet  ahove  the  level  of  the  sea.  while  its  most  elevated  |>eaks 
or  _golts.v"  are  only  about  T.ixxt  feet  in  height. 

Besides  the  Oh'-kiua  ami  the  .\ld;ui  whii'h  are  hoth  ti-il>ulai-ies  of  the  Lena. 
the.se  mountains  give  rise  to  the  atlluents  of  the  Yana.  the  Indigirka  and 
Kolyma.  The  waters  ot  the  gigantic  Lena  take  their  source  among  the  Haikai 
mountains.  Crystalline  rocks  containing  granite,  syenite,  diabase,  diorite,  por- 
lih\ry  and  crystalline  slate,  form  the  princiiial  ridges  of  the  Sayan  and 
its  branches,  and  also  those  of  the  Yablonovy  chain.  Basalt,  dolerite.  and 
real  lavas  <'oniing  from  extinct  volcanoes  with  volcanic  tufts,  obsidian  and 
pumice  of  volcanic  origin,  occur  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Sayan,  as  well  as 
on  the  low  ridges  running  across  the  East-Siberian  plain  between  the  Angara 
and  the  PodkamennayaTunguzka.  Some  of  these  volcanic  formations  are  also 
detected  in  the  Yakutsk  lerritorx.  on  the  Aldiin  uumntain  ridge.  On  the  side 
of  the  Sayan  uKuintains  and  along  the  branches  and  slopes  of  the  Yablono- 
vy chain,  as  well  as  on  many  other  mountains  in  the  territory  of  Yakutsk, 
the  sedimentary  rocks  are  chiefly  represented  by  sandstone,  slate  and  lime- 


Pl.  U.  Bern  on  the  river  Ursui  ^^:. 


5ap6zhnikov). 


stone  of  the  jialaeozoic  age  consisting  of  the  upper  silurian.  the  silurian  and 
the  carboniferous  systems.  The  Jurassic  formations,  which  sometimes  are 
found  on  the  southern  Sayan,  occur  more  freijuently  ou  the  north.  All  the 
mountain  ridges  running  in  every  direction  over  the  vast  filast-.Siberian  terri- 
tory contain  great  mineral  wealth. 

Silver-lead  and  coi)per  ores  are  met  with  on  the  northern  slojie  of  the 
Sayan,  within  the  confines  of  the  Yeniseisk  government,  while,  at  the  same 
time,    rich    beds  of   coal  and  iron-ore,  of  excellent   tiuality,   lie  at   the   loot 


12 


GVIIJK  TO  THl:  GKKAT  SIHKUIAN   UAILWAY 


of  the    iiKnintaiiis.   The    branches    nf  ihe    Say;in    iiu'lude  also    rich    .graphite 
deposits. 

The  Yiibloniivy  chain  is  |)articularly  well  provided  in  the  Yaki'itslv  terr- 
itory with  silver-lead,  iron  and  coal  deposits.  Hut  the  essential  resource  of 
Eastern  Sibei'ia  consists  in  its  irold  deposits,  scattered  all  over  the  ranire  of 


PI.  12.  Four-barrel  gold-washing  apparatus. 


mountains  and  at  many  elevated  places.  The  basins  of  the  rivers  Yitim  and 
Olekma,  and  some  of  the  other  tributaries  of  the  Lena,  most  particularly 
abound  in  gold   (pi.  12). 

The  ureater  portion  of  the  East  Siberian  territory,  containinsr  numerous 
mountain  ridges  and  elevated  i)lateaus,  has  a  considerable  altitude,  especially 
as  compared  with  the  steppe  land  of  \Vest  Siberia.  A  well  marked  fall  towards 
the  sea  is  noticed  at  the  60^  X.  lat.,  on  the  north  of  the  Yeniseisk  government, 
and  at  68^  X.  lat.,  in  the  Yakiitsk  territory,  where  the  country  passes  into 
the  plain  through  which  the  Yenisei  and  Lena  roll  their  majestic  waves. 

Eastern  Sil)eria  is  just  as  abundantly  watered  as  its  western  part.  The 
Yenisei  (pi.  18)  which  is  not  inferior  to  the  Ob  and,  like  the  latter,  is  formed 
by  the  .junction  of  two  streams,  the  Yenisei  proper  and  the  Angara,  flows 
towards  the  north  through  the  Yeniseisk  and  Irkiitsk  governments.  The 
basin  of  the  Lena  also  formed  by  two  liranches,  the  Lena  and  the  Akhin. 
waters  the  vast  Yakutsk  territory  and  pours  its  waves  into  the  .\rctic  Ocean 
by  means  of  a  delta  of  islands  extending  far  into  the  sea  (pi.  141. 

Stretching  from  the  Chinese  boundary,  from  south  to  north.  East  and 
West  Siberia  comprise  many  regions  of  varied  nature  and  climate. 

The  cultivable  zone  of  Eastern  Siberia  covering  a  superficial  area 
of  lo.D'Kl  sq.  geogr.  miles,  inchides  the  Minusinsk,  .\chinsk.  Krasnoyarsk 
and  Kansk  districts  of  the  Yenisei  government,  and  the  entii'e  Irkiitsk 
.government,  exclusive  of  the  Kir('-nsk  district. 

The  southern  valley  oi  the  Yenisei  has  a  most  convenient  position,  and 
has  long  since  btien  in  great  f.ivour  witii  tlie  |icaceful  labourer  and  the 
half  wild  nomad. 


r.EOGRAPHirAL  AND  HISTORICAL  REVIKW  OF  SIBERIA. 


13 


Moniiiiu'nts  lUiiina;  from  ancient  times  are  scattcreil  ihi-duirhiuii  tiie 
south  of  the  Yenisei  government.  Ruins  of  ulil  Imihiinirs,  earthen  bulwarks, 
remains   of   towns,  stones  covered  with  insci-iptions.  rocks  with  designs  and 


PI.  13.  Ice-drift  on  the  Yenisei  (phot,  by  Akselrod). 

writing,   abandoned    pits   and    mines   testify    to  former  inhabitants  and  to  a 
former  independent  culture  (pi.  17). 


^ 

1 

1 

^ 

n 

1 

PIV  -i^^^^JS 

1 

kjaviSUai 

1 

i 

1^ 

> 

^H 

lil^iy^ 

1^1 

■ 

■ 

^^ 

V^ 

p..  U.   1  .-.c  river  Lena  (phot,  by  Gavrllov). 

The  forest  zone,  where  forestry  and  agriculture  are  alternately  practised, 
extends  to  the  north,  and  comprises  an  immense  area  of  about  (i5,()ii()  .sif. 
geogr.  miles  covered  with  forests  and  swamps  which  only  on  the  south,  at  a 


: 


14 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GRKAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY 


t'l'w    imints    near   the    rivers,   give    i)lace    to    oases    of  land  inure  aiiaided  lor 
cultivation. 


PI.  15.  The  Lena  near  the    town  of  Yakutsk. 


Tlie  Kirensk  district  of  the  Irlciitslv  .government,  part  ot"  the  Yeniseisiv 
government  reaching  the  66°  N..  and  the  greater  portion  of  the  Yaixutslc. 
Oleliminslv  and  the  suuthern  part  of  the  Viliiisk  district,  are  inchided  in 
this  zone. 


PI.  16.  Post-boat  on  the  Lena  (phot,   by  Arnoldj. 


The  liirest  vegetation  of  Eastern  .Siberia  is  practically  similar  In  that 
Iniiiiil  in  its  western  part,  represented  l>.v  the  same  glnoniy  ..taiga"  and  inac- 
cessible „iirni;ni"  with  its  pool-  covering  of  thin  grass  i>assing  into  moss  and 
lichens. 


r.KOdR.VPHICAI.  ANli  HISTOKirvI,  ItKYIKW  OF  SIBERIA. 


15 


Till'  pnlar  tumlra  zuiio  ciulirac-im;'  all  the'  iioi'lhrni  |iai'i  nf  Haslorn  Siiie- 
riii,  ciiinin-iscs  ai)  area  of  .Hi.UK)  sq.  i;t'i)u;r.  mill's  and  iiu'liidi's  tine  of  the 
polos  of  greatest  i-oUl  in  I  he  northi'rn  hemispiiere.  Near  Verkhoyansk,  under 
(i?"  M'  of  X.  latitude, 
which  has  the  most  eon- 
linental  eliniate  of  the 
old  world,  the  mt>an  an- 
imal temperature  is  -17 
..  the  mean  winter  tem- 
jierature  is— t"^.  At  L'sti- 
iinsk.  70°  53'  of  N.  lati- 
tude, three  and  a  hall 
degrees  nearer  nuitli. 
the  average  annual  tem- 
perature (—16^  C.)  is  a 
degree  higher  than  at 
\'erkho.vansk;  in  the  win- 
ter {—Sl^  C.)  there  is  a 
dilVerenee  often  degrees 
between  the  mean  tem- 
perature of  these  two 
points.  The  climate,  the  conditions  of  the  soil,  which  remains  perpetually 
frozen  and  melts  only  under  the  hottest  sun's  rays  to  a  depth  of  •'' 4  arshin. 
and  the  short  period  of  vegetation,  excUidi'    the  possibility  of  agriculture  in 


Pi.  17.  Tombstones  in  the    Minusinsk  steppes. 


PI.  18.  On  the  Baikal,  village  of  Kultuk. 


this  region.  This  vast  polar  zone  is  only  exploited  by   the    northern  reindeer 
tribes   and    by  native  ami  foreiirn  luinteis  and  fishermen. 


If) 


oriDi':  To  TiiK  iiui;at  sihkuiax  railway. 


Al'lrr  havini;'  (TussimI  (he  sturniy  I5,iik:il  (pi.  IS),  In  its  oaslri'ii  .sliori',  the 
traveller  rc^aches  the  wide  spreading  Amur-Littoral  proviiirr  which,  loi'minii' 
the  Pastern  limit  of  the  Sihei'ian  continent,  is    ilividcd   hy  Its  |ihysical  condi- 

tinns  into  four  well  ma.rk- 

ed  regions:  Transbai- 
kalia, Amur,  Ussuri-Llt- 
toral  and  Okhotsk-Kam- 
chatka, unitedl'or  pur|ios- 
(>s  of  internal  administ- 
i-ation  under  one  govern- 
or-general of  the  Amur 
province. 

Transbaikalia  cha- 
racterised b.v  the  Trans- 
baikiil  and  Daurian  pla- 
teaus, is  a  mountainous 
country,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  steppe  lands 
comprising  its  south-eastern  part,  and  comin.n'  up  to  the  Chinese  frontiei'. 
between  the  rivers  .Vrgun  and  Unon  which  by  theii' joint  course  form  the  .Vmtir. 


PI 


19.  The  Transbaikai.  mouth  of  the  river  Nercha. 


PI.  20.  Landing  place  for  steamers  near  Str^tensk. 


The  Yabl(Uiov,\'  chain,  which  in  a  diagonal  line  pi'essi^s  to  the  eastei'U 
part  of  the  plateau,  runs  frtun  soutli-west  to  uorth-east.  and  represents  the 
central  axis  ot  the  mountains. 

The  Baikiil  mountain  group,  with  its  doniiuant  ridg(>  l\liam:ir-L»ab:iii. 
stretches  to  the  west,  while  the  Nerchinsk  chain  i^xtends  to  the  east.  The 
dominant  a,xis  of  the  Yai)lonovy  mountains  forms  the  watershed  of  the  i-ivers 
flowing  from  its  north-western  side  into  the  Baikiil,  and  into  the  Vitini  the 
right  tributai'.N  of  the  L('na,  and  of  those  which,  from  its  south-eastern  slope, 
fall  into  ihi'  Shilka  river  included  in  the  .\inur  Ija-siu. 


fiEOORAPHICAL    VXD  HISTORICAL  REVIEW  OF  SIBERIA. 


17 


Amoni:  ilu'  nioimtains  of  tlio  Transliaikal.  tlic  Chokondo  without  rcachinsr 
iho  snow-liiu',  rises  to  an  altiludo  of  S.ikki  feet  aUovo  tlic  level  of  the  sea. 
.\I1  the  others  are  of  an  inferior  lieijiht.  some  of  tiieir  siiinniits  attaininu' 
harely  3.400  feet.  Here  the  (ireat  Siberian  railway  reaches  its  most  elevated 
point  crossinir  the  Yablonov.\-  chain  at  an  altitude  of  .3,41(5  feet  above  the 
sea  level. 

Almost  all  the  mountain  ridges  of  this  plateau  contain  granite,  gneiss 
and  mica-slate  obtruding  tiirough  crystalline  strata  and.  at  some  places, 
trachyte  and  basalt  of  volcanic  origin.  The  sedimentary  rocks  lilled  up  by 
the  crystalline  strata  include  chietly  Silurian  and  carboniferous  formations  of 


PI.  21.  Mole  on  the  Amur  at  Blagoveshchensk. 


the  palaeozoic  age,  as  well  as  formations  of  the  secondary  (Jurassic)  and 
tertiary  systems. 

This  great  variety  of  geological  structure  testifies  to  the  untold  wealth 
of  the  Transbaikal  region,  which  abounds  in  gold  ores  and  auriferous  gra- 
vels, in  silver-lead,  copper  and  iron  ores,  in  tin  and  mercury,  and  includes 
nuarries  of  varied— coloured  stones  i)f  fine  nuality,  and  extensive  coal 
measures. 

The  extraordinary  geological  structure  of  this  country,  in  connexion  with 
a  well  regulated  irrigation,  and  a  fairly  favourable  climate,  promises  a  pro- 
sperous future  to  this  region,  and  opens  a  wide  range  to  the  development 
of  mining  industry.  The  line  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  connected  by  the 
basin  of  the  Ami'ir  with  the  section  of  the  Ussiiri  Railway,  traverses  the 
south-eastern  |)art  of  Siberia,  and  is  now  interrupted  within  tiie  confines  of  the 
Transbaikal.  near  Stretensk  (pi.  20)  situated  on  the  lert  liank  of  the  Sliilka. 
The  route  resumes  it.s  course  at  Stretensk  and  reaches  the  eastern  border  of 
the  Transbaikal  region  where  the  waters  of  the  Shilka  and  Argijn  are  col- 
lected into  the  Amur  basin,  proceeding  along  the  Shilka  to  the  Cossack  vil- 
lage of  Ust-Strelochny. 

The  .\miir  country  commencing  at  the  same  place  as  the  .\mur  basin  has 
quite   ditterent    physical    conditions    from   the   adjacent    Transbaikal  and  the 


18 


(iriDK  TO  TIIK  GUKAT  SIliKUIAN    RAILWAY. 


iiilicr  rciiiniis  coinpi'isiiiir  ihc  Silirrian  ciiiiiiiirnl,  lis  rrlid'  is  rciirrscnlrd  by 
:in  plovatcd  |)laiii  inrliniiiu'  rrnm  ilir  wrsi  in  ihr  r.icilir  nci'aii,  liniiiulcil  on 
the  noi'tll.  Ii\'  thr  Y;ililiiii(i\>  chain,  and  nii  llic  south  and  snnth-wrsl.  hy  Ihr 
Kliinii'an  sli'rlrhiiiu'  I'ar  nvrr  ('iiinrsc  tiTi-iliir\,  The  axciMiii'  hidiiht  ol' the 
luiiiintnins  which  surrdund  ami  cnvcr  ihi'  <'(uinti'y  with  their  hramdii's.  varies 


PI.   22.  The  river  Amur.  Monumenl  to  Count  N.  N.  Muravidv-Amurslcy  in  Khab^rovslc. 

from  3,0('0  to  T.tXR)  Icet  above  the  level  of  the  .sea,  and  at  some    [loints    rises 
only  to  about  2,a"i  feel. 

Tlie    ueoloiiical    sti'uctiii'c    of  tb.esc  ridges,  wliich  are  in  idose  connexion 


PI.  23.  Landing  place  at  Nil<ol4evsk. 


with  the  mountain  masses  of  the  Transbaikal.  is  (diiefly  characterised  by 
the  same  crystalline  and  sedinient.iry  rocks  incliidinu-  rich  and  varied 
minerals. 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORirAL  REVIKW  OF  SIltKKIA. 


19 


Gold  minos.  with  an  ovpr  increasing  output,  aio  wor'ived  in  tliis  rogion, 
where  coal-l)i'(is,  silver-lead  and  silver  ores,  as  well  as  cnpiier  and  iron 
ores  occur  |ilenlilull.v. 

The  Amur  territory,  which  in  the  places  bordered  by  the  principal  ridge.s 
IS  mountainous,  has  in  respect  of  its  geological  formation  some  connexiim 
with  the  Transhaikiil  and  the  northern  [lortions  of  Siberia  included  within 
the  range  of  the  Yaldonovy  mountains.  It  contains  a  series  ot  flat  elevations 
which  gradually  decline  into  pasture  steppes,  stretching  far  over  the  valleys 
of  the  Amiir  and  its  tributaries  the  Zeya  and  Bureya,  covered  by  a  rich  ve- 
getation recalling  the  prairies  of  North  America. 

The  peculiar  nature  of  this  region  characterised  by  a  rich  vegetation  and 
;i  varied  fauna,  is  due  to  its  orographic  and  climatic  conditions. 


PI.  24.  The  Ussuri  province.  Suifun  pass  (phoi.  by  Matskevich). 


The  waters  of  the  Amiir  rise  more  than  49  feet  above  their  ordinary 
level  at  the  time  when,  twice  a  year,  the  river  overflows  an  immense  extent 
of  country.  Although  causing  considerable  damage,  it  for  a  long  time  furn- 
ishes the  neighbouring  land  with  moisture.  Frequent  and  heavy  rainfalls, 
caused  by  the  ciuantity  of  moisture  brought  from  the  Pacific  Ocean  by  the 
south-western  winds,  also  exert  a  decided  influence  upon  the  structure  of 
the  surface  and  its  vegetation. 

The  land  that  stretches  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  and  along  their 
Dranches  is  covered  with  thick  grass.  The  slopes  of  the  mountains  are  clothed 
by  dense  forests  of  various  species;  by  retaining  the  moisture,  they  trans- 
form the  entire  surface  into  a  continuous  swamp  out  of  which  rise  bare  hills 
scattered  with  stones. 

.\lthough  this  region  occupies  a  southerly  position,  yet  the  Russian  colon- 
ist hixs  to  cope  with  superabundant  moisture  and  a  severe  climate,  fighting 
for  each  foot  of  cultivable  land;  this  hard  contest  with  nature  is  the  cause 
of  the  unsufticient  population  of  the  .\miir  country  up  to  the  present  time. 

2a 


20 


GlIDK  TO  THK  OkKAT  SlliiailAN  KAILWAY. 


The  iniposin.;;  river  Amur  which,  from  west  to  east,  traverses  tin-  entire 
Amur  country  and  serves  throughout  its  whole  course  as  a  navigable  water- 
way, is  the  frontier  between  the  Russian  Empire  and  China,  constituting:  at 
the  same  time  the  most  important  river  system  of  Siberia,  yeilding  tlie  most 
convenient  access  to  the  coast  of  the  Paritic  Ocean. 

After  having  reached  the  eastern  limit  of  the  Am.ir  ten-itory.  the  travel 
ler  comes  to  the  town  of  Khabarovsk,  the  administrative  centre  of  the  country, 
standing  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Amur  at  its  .junction  with  the  full-flowing 
Ussuri.  and  enters  the  Amur  territory  comprising,  from  south  to  north,  the 
Russian  coast  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  stretching  for  a  distance  of  28  degrees, 
within  the  42^  and  70"  of  X.  lat. 

The  Amur  river  divides  this  region  info  two  portions,  north  and  south, 
which  shew  a  well  marked  difference  in  respect  of  climate,  soil  and  condi- 
tions of  life:  the  Okhotsk-Kamchatka  territory,  situated  on  the  left  side  of  the 
Amur  and  bounded  by  the  Yablonovy  Chain,  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  the 
Okhotsk  and  Bering  Seas;  and  the  Ussuri-Littoral  territory,  situated  on  the 
ri.ght  side  of  the  Amur,  and  bounded  by  the  L'ssuri  and  the  Sea  of  Japan. 

The  Okhotsk-Kamchatka  territory  which  includes  the  narrow  and  hilly 
coast  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea,  the  land  of  the  Chukch  and  the  peninsula  of  Kam- 
chatka, is  scarcely  fit  for  a  settled  agricultural  colonisation,  on  account  of 
its  geographical  position,  and  severe  climate:  and  can  only  be  effectively 
exploited  after  a  hard  struggle  with  nature.  .According  to  explorations  effect- 
ed on  the  south-western  coast  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea.  there  are  mineral  deiios- 
its  obtruding  through  crystalline  and  sedimentary  rocks. 


PI.  25.  Railway  pass  over  the  Niurtse  ridge  (phot,  by  Matslcevich). 

The  northern  portions,  in  particular  the  i>eninsula  of  Kanichiitka.  have 
up  till  now  only  been  subjected  to  scientific  explorations  directed  to  the 
investigation  of  the  action  of  volcanoes. 

The  Middle  Kaiuchatka  Chain  running  up  through  the  peninsula,  and  all 
parallel  ridges,  contain  a  series  of  active  and  extinct  volcanoes,  among  which 


GKOOKAPHliAL  AM)  IIISTOKIC  \L  KKVIEW  OF  SIBERIA.  21 

ilu>  KliiifhevskiiyaSopka  Still  aciivf,  rises  hiirlu-r  than  Mont  Hlanc.  aiul  is  iini 
inferior  in  size  to  Kazbek  with  its  altitude  of  Iti.OOit  feet  above  the  sea  level 
This  peninsula  ineUules  a  total  of  12  active  and  30  extinct  volcanoes. 

All  the  islands  of  the  Siberian  seabord  ofler  but  a  slight  cominerii;il 
interest,  on  account  of  the  inadci|uate  e\|iioitation  of  their  resources.  W'ran- 
irel's  land  is  unite  iirnored  and  only  visited  by  whale-tishers.  as  also  the 
srroup  of  the  New  Siberian  Islands  which,  having  once  afforded  shelter  to  a 
now  extinct  organic  life  thriving  at  a  remote  date  under  the  75"  and  70°  N. 
lat.,  is  now  resorted  to  only  by  Siberian  traders  in  search  of  the  mammoth 
ivory  abounding  there. 

Better  known  are  the  Commander  Islands  and  Sakhalin.  The  I'uriiier  lie 
in  the  Bering  sea,  near  Kamchatka,  and  are  somewhat  high,  partly  consist- 
ing of  volcanic  rocks.  Seals  are  caught  on  their  shores.  The  latter  possesses 
a  penal  settlement. 

On  these  islands  the  climate  is  very  severe,  and  they  are  scarcely  adapt- 
ed for  permanent  colonisation,  although  endowed  with  rich  coal  mines 
already  partly  developed:  these  and  the  naphtha  springs,  which  have  lieen 
discovered  of  late  on  Sakhalin,  will  give  some  commercial  importance  to  this 
inhospitable  island. 

The  L'ssiiri  Littoral  territory  (pl. '25).  although  lying  near  the  ocean,  presents 
a  more  elevated  relief  than  the  Amur  region,  and  affords  geographical  and  cli- 
matic conditions,  which  are  more  favourable  to  the  development  of  cultivation. 

The  climate  is  modified  by  the  forest  clothed  Sikhoti'-.\lin  Chain  stretch- 
ing parallel  to  the  coast  of  the  Japan  Sea,  which  retains  the  excess  of 
moisture  in  the  narrow  strip  of  land  bounded  by  the  sea.  This  mountain 
ri<lge  which,  at  its  highest  point,  is  S.*X)Q  feet  in  height,  descends  westwards. 
with  a  gradual  fall  to  the  interior,  and  gives  the  Ussiiri  region  a  mountain- 
ous character  with  here  and  there  rich  mineral  deposits  among  crystalline 
and  sedimentary  rocks.  Gold  mines  are  worked  at  many  points,  chietly 
in  the  south,  and  on  Askold  Island  near  Vladivostok,  w'here  the  bottom  of 
the  sea  consists   of  gold-bearing  strata   producing   auriferous  sands. 

Silver-lead  mines  which  evidently  were  worked  in  former  times,  have  been 
discovered  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Olga  and  Transfiguration  Hays:  rich  deposits 
of  iron-ore  occur  in  the  same  littoral  regions,  and  coal  of  excellent  iiuality 
is  also  to  be  found  in  thick  seams  in  man.v  parts  of  this  rich  country. 

Among  all  the  regions  of  Siberia,  the  L'ssi'iri-Littoral  territory  is  particu- 
larly well  adapted  for  cultivation  and  colonisation:  abundantly  watered  by 
the  Ussuri  and  with  a  favourable  climate,  it  imssesses  a  fertile  black-earth 
soil,  a  rich  vegetatiim  and  a  varied  fauna  which,  together  with  abundant 
mineral  deposits  and  its  nearness  to  the  ocean,  opens  a  wide  prosiieci  for 
the  development  of  trade  and  industry. 

Leaving  the  town  of  Khabarovsk,  the  traveller  reaches  Vladivostok  by 
the  Ussuri  railway,  and  comes  to  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  finding  there 
the  wide  tiuW  of  Peter  the  Great  with  its  bay  of  the  Golden  Horn.  This 
inlet  situated  on  the  north-western  coast  of  the  Jajian  Sea  is  accessible 
during  all  seasons  with  the  exceinion  of  winter,  which  however,  as  in  Odessa, 
does  not  last  over  two  months  (pl.  26). 

The  climate  of  Siberia  is,  on  account  of  its  vast  area,  very  varied,  but 
in  general  it  is  very  severe,  especially  as  compared  with  that  of  the  corre- 
spondinir  latitudes  ot  Kurope  and  America:  from  its  more  continental  charac- 
ter it  has  an  inferior  mean  annual  temperature. 


'22 


UVWK  TO  THE  GUKAT  .SIHEUIAN   RAILWAY. 


This  pc'CLiliar  cliiiiato  is  due  In  the  sti-uctiu-e  of  the  surface,  wliich  is  h-ft 
unprotected  from  the  keen  northern  winds  blowing  on  the  coast  of  Siberia, 
bounded  by  the  Arctic  Ocean.  Being  separated  from  Central  Asia  by  a  barr- 
ier of  snow-clad  mountains,  this  region  is  entirel\-  shut  off  l)y  them  from 
the  mild  influence  of  tlie  soutii  (pi.  27). 

The  highest  mean  annual  temperature  on  the  Siberian  continent  occurs 
at  Vladivostok  and  in  the  bay  of  St.  Olga  (+4.5'  C).  as  also  in  the  southern 


PI.  26.  View  of  Vladivostdk. 


portion  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe  including  .Vkmolinsk  and  Semiiialatinsk  (from 
-)-2  to  2.5°).  As  a  rule,  the  mean  annual  temperature  throughout  Siberia  does 
not  rise  above  zero,  exclusive  of  the  following  places  in  West  and  East  Sibe- 
ria, where  the  mean  temperatiu-e  is  somewhat  higher:  Turinsk, +1.5°,  Tinmen 
+1.4°,  Kurgan  +1.2°,  Barnaul  +0.14°.  Krasnoyarsk  -(1.0°,  Minusinsk +0.7°. 
and  Khabarovsk  -r0.6°.  According  to  the  mean  annual  temperatures  and  to 
the  average  temperature  in  the  winter  months,  the  greatest  cold  is  experien- 
ced on  the  north-east  of  the  Asiatic  continent:  at  the  same  time,  it  has  been 
noticed  that  the  mean  annual  temperature  rises  from  north  to  south,  and 
falls  from  west  to  east.  As  an  example  Tobolsk  and  Tomsk  lying  much  furth- 
er north  than  Nikolaevsk  on  the  Amur,  and  the  Xei-chinsk  works,  situated 
eastwards  of  both,  have  annual  temperatures  of  — 0.12"  and— 0.79',  while  th(^ 
latter  have  —2.7°  and  — 3.7°.  This  difference  increasing  towards  the  east,  is 
still  more  evident  when  the  temperature  of  Vladivostok  is  compared  with 
that  of  Vladikavkiiz  standing  under  the  same  latitude,  or  with  that  of  Flo- 
rence and  Nice  which  are  only  three-quarters  of  a  degree  further  north. 

January  is  the  coldest  month  in  Siberia,  June  and  July  are  the  hottesi: 
soon  after  the  latter  the  temperature  becomes  colder. 

The  transitions  from  winter  to   summer    are  extreme,   almost  excluding 

spring,  the  most  welcome  season  of  the  year.  The  differences  of  greatest  cold 

and  heat  in  Siberia,  as  shewn  by  the  followiiiii-  figures,  are  of  a  wider  range 

ban  aiiwvhere  in  Europe: 


.Jamiiiry. 

Verkhoviinsk —  4S.i) 

Yakutsk 41.8 

.Xerchinsk  woi'ks 29.4 

Blagoveshchensk 25.5 


+ 


Difference  of  lom- 

peraltire     in     the 

hottest  8i    coldosi 

months. 

15.4 

(33.;? 

17.:i 

59.1 

18.4 

47.S 

20.7 

4(i.2 

UKOiiRAPHICAL  AND  HIHTORICAL  REVIKW  OF  SIBERIA. 


•23 


In  irein'ral.  the  temperature  in  the  cultivable  zone  of  Siberia,  which  in 
Western  Siberia  is  4-13o^  in  the  Eastern  part  +14'.  in  the  Transbaikal 
+13.5",  in  theAimir  Territory, +12' in  its  northern  part  and  rlO'' on  the  s-mth. 


PI.  27.  Winter  road  in  the  northern  taiga. 

-15°  and +17' in  the  L'ssiu-i-Littoral  Territory,  is  almost  the  same  as  that  of 
the  corresponding  latitudes  of  European  Russia,  durinir  the  five  months  period 
of  vegetation,  from  May  to  October. 

Accordinirly.  the  cultivable  zone  "t  .Siberia  is  better  adapted  fur  agriculture 
than  the  reirions  nf  Euro- 
pean Russia  situated  be- 
tween the  same  55'  and 
58'  X.  lat..  being  provided 
with  a  better  soil  of 
blackearth,  with  more 
fertile  and  extensive  pas- 
tures, with  abundant  ri- 
vers, and  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  tnrest  land. 
The  population  nf  Si- 
beria is  not  excessively 
affected  by  the  sharp 
winters. owing  to  the  pre- 
vailing stillness  of  the 
air.  the  absence  of  strong 
winds,  and  to  a  generally  clear  and  cloudless  sky  which,  taken  together,  temper 
the  effect  of  the  extreme  cold. 


PI.  28.  Harnessed  reindeer. 


24 


OriDK  TO  THK  URICAT  SIBKItlAX   liAILW  \Y. 


As  staled  l).v  Rei'kis.  lliorc  are  lew  places  whieli  eaii  boast  nf  a  healthier 
climate  than  cold  Hasteni  Sil)(>ria,  chai-a(-terised  as  it  is  by  an  exceedinijly 
calm,  di"y  and  clear  atmosphere.  Cases  of  eonsumption  are  unknown  in 
Chita,  situated  in  the  heart  of  the  Transbaikal,  where  mercury  freezes  in 
the  thermometer  and  remains  thus  during-  several  weeks.  These  favourable 
conditions  vanish  towards  the  north,  as  appears  from  the  difference  in  the 
flora    and  fauna:  however,  the  ti-aveller  can  testifv  that  the  aborisene.s  of  the. 


ot   th;   Yak^t   bre 


Yakutsk  Territory  notwithstanding  the  frightful  cold,  enjoy  perfect  health  and 
are  endowed  with  a  good  humour  and  lively  character  which  many  might  envy. 
The  amount  ot  the  annual  rainfall  in  particular  is  evidence  of  the  more  con- 
tinental clinuite  of  Siberia  as  compared 
with  the  corresponding  regions  of  Euro- 
pean Russia:  this  difference  is  still  more 
striking  as  regards  the  cultivable  zone. 

The  rainfall  in  Western  Siberia  amounts 
to  380,  in  Eastern  Siberia  to  .3fiO  mm.  and 
in  the  Transl)aikiil  to  290  mm.:  in  thi' 
corresponding  countries  of  luimpean  Rus- 
sia, the  rainfall  rises  to  .500  millinu>tres. 
These  figures  areexceededin  the  Altai  pla- 
teau, in  the  Amur  territory  and  in  that  of 
the  I'ssuri-Littoral,  where  they  reach  .500 
and  (ioo  mm. 

The  distribulion  of  the  rainfall  accord- 
ing to  the  season  is  also  characteristic 
in  Siberia.  In  the  i)eriod  of  vegetation  and  es|)ecially  in  summer,  there 
is  but  a  slight  difference  in  this  respect  between  Siberia  and  Ein'o|)ean 
Russia:  in  winter  this  ditfei-ence  increases  considerably,  the  aniouiit  of  moist- 


Pi.  30.  ..Skopets"  or  ..castrated"  ploughman  of 
the  Viliuisk  distr.  in   the  Yakut  terr.  (phot,  by 
Cavrilov). 


UKOfiRAPHICAI.  AND  HISTORICAL  RKVIhW  OF  SIBERIA. 


25 


lire  fallinji    in   Siberia    being  little  innro  tlmn  lialt'  iliat  of  thi>  coiTesiwnding 
Euriiiit>an  zones. 

This  distribution  accounts  tor  the  sufficient  quantity  i<{  moisture  received 
durinir  the  period  of  ve- 
getation, and  the  snow- 
less  winters  prevailing 
over  the  entire  agricul- 
tural area  of  Siberia. 

The  forest  zone  is 
characterised  by  a  far 
more  aluindanl  rainfall. 
and  In  this  respect  stands 
almost  on  a  line  with 
the  corresjidnding  Euro- 
pean ciiuntries.  A  con- 
siderable decrease  in  the 
rainfall  is  to  be  noted 
further  north,  nearer  to 
the  polar  tundra,  so  for 
example  at  OI)d()rsk  with 
only  21S  nun. 

Tho  climate  nf  this  country  is  more  strikingly  illustrated  by  the  vegeta- 
tion. The  herbaceous  flora  covering  the  whole  of  Western  Siberia  but  slightly 
ditters  from  that  of  the  corresponding  European  zones. 

After  crossing  the  L'nil,  the  traveller  traverses  Siberia   by  a  railway  of 

2.(XK1  versts  and  reaches 
the  Yenisi'i  without  no- 
ticing any  difference  in 
the  herbaceous  flora, 
which  throughout  re- 
tains the  same  character 
except  for  a  greater  suc- 
culence and  freshness, 
and  more  iraily  coloured 


PI, 


31.  Calf  bred  by  Skopfsy.  Viliiiisk  distr.  Yakut  terr. 
(phot,  by  Gavrilov). 


-^"h 


TTVn. 


'■M^¥^~-3 


•■««^!:!SSS4- 


in 


Euro- 


PI.  32.  Skopets  farm.  Viliuisk  district  (phot,  by  Cavrllov). 


flowers     than 
pean  Russia. 

Beyond  the  Yenisei, 

the  vegetation  changes, 

not  only  under  the  influ- 

^■nce  of  the  climate,  but 

also   on  account    of  the 

hilly  surface  intersected 

by  the  spurs  of  the  Sayan 

.Mt.ii-Sayan    system  now 

;alpine  ancl  sul)al|)ine  pas- 

rilliantlv  coloured  flowers. 


th( 


mountains.  A  mountain    flora   characteristic   of 
predominates,  presentinir  the  tyidcal  |iecularilies  i 
tures  and  hill-sides,  with  luxuriant  and 

Beautiful  anemones  (Anemone  umbrosa.  fischeriana,  Pulsatilla),  peculiar 
varieties  of  buttercups  (Ranunculus  altaicus.  R.  pulchellus.  R.  natans  and 
others),  Altai  species  of  cruciferae,  various  kinds  of  violets  (Viola  altaica.  V. 
macrocarpa.  V.  acuminata  and  others),  peculiar  si)ecies  of  |>inks  anfl  star- 
worts  (Itianthaceae  and  Alsineae).  the    .\ltai    flax   (Liniim   violaceum).   many 


26 


Gl'IDE  TO  TH1-:  GREAT  SlIiKRlAN  K AU.WAY. 


species  of  astragalus,  alpine  roses,  peculiar  saxifrages,  anionii  which  ..ciiairir 
tea"  (Raxifra.se  crassifolia).  whose  bie:  leaves  are  employed  as  a  surroirato 
for  ordinary  tea,  rein-escnt  the  characteristic  flora  of  the  Altai  and  Saynn 
mountains. 

The  chief  ornament  of  those   mountains    are   its    sprinj;   tlowers.    yclinw 
and  blue  hyacinths,  irises  and  other  bulbs. 

The  arboreal  vegetation  of  the  Siberian  continent  is  very  poor.  Oak,  hazel, 
elm,  every  species  of  maple,  ash  and  apple  disappear  altogether  just  beyond 

the  Ural,  which  is  thickly 
clothed  with  a  varied  and  rich 
forest  growth.  The  forests  of 
the  Siberian  plains,  subject  to 
periodical  extinction,  are  very 
monotonous  and  contain  but 
few  species,  represented  by 
birch  (Betula  alba),  aspen  (Fo- 
pulus  tremula),  alder  (Alnus 
glutinosa,  incana),  poplar  (Po- 
pulus  alba),  comnion  hagberrv 
(Prunus  padusi.  and  mountain 
ash  (Sorbus  aucuparia  timien- 
tosa). 

The    desert    and    gloomy 

.taigas"  or  ,urmans'"    consist 

mainly    of  species  of  fir-trees 

which  usually  characterise  the 

north-eastern  portions  of  European  Russia,   with  the  exception  of  the  „cedar" 

(Pinuscembra)  which  occurs  throughout  Siberia  to  the  Bering  sea,  and  passes 

over  into  North  America. 

The  lofty  tree  flora  of  the  Altai,  although  divided  into  many  zones  on 
the  elevated  mountain  chains,  does  not  differ,  as  far  as  the  Yablonovy  range, 
from  that  of  Western  and  Eastern  Siberia;  anmng  the  shrubs  there  are  some 
varieties  of  acacias,  wild  roses,  honeysuckles,  and  burning-bushes;  dwarf 
rhododendrons  and  azaleas  are  only  found  on  the  southern  slopes.  The  flora 
visibly  changes  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Yablonovy  mountain  chain. 
Within  the  confines  of  the  Transbaik;\l.  the  tree  flora  is  nuich  more  varied, 
receiving  an  admixture  of  oak  (Quercus  mongolica),  elm  (Ulmus  campestris), 
nut  (Corylus  heterophylla),  and  wild  apple  iPyriis  baccata).  The  shrubs  pre 
sent  more  characteristic 


PI.  33.  Church  in  a  leper  colony, 
by  Gavrilov). 


Yakutsk  terr.  (phot. 


^^MS^'^^^-^^'^' 


forms  and  the  herba- 
ceous ve.getation  is  of  a 
<iuite  peculiar  nature, 
forming  the  transition 
between  the  floras  of 
Siberia    and    Mongolia, 

viz.    the   so-called    L»au-     l j 

rian  tlora.  p, 

The     flnra     of    the 
Amur  territory  and  the  Ussitri-Littoral  region  is  still 

Within  these  regions  the  species  ot  trees  are 
of  Siberia,  and  even  the  Transhaikal. 


ppc. 

rirhe 

■  and 

more 

liectiliar. 

piite 

(lifter 

Mil    tV 

111!    thii.'- 

p 

GEOGRAPHICAL  AXli  HISTOKICAL  KKVIKW  OF  SIBKRIA.  27 

The  Manchurian  cedar  (Pintis  mandshuricat,   ihe    ajanen   fir    (Picea   aja- 
nensisi,  the  vew,  native  tn  thi'  Caucasian    mountains,    minirli-  hi'iv  with  the 


r* 


K 


P:.  35.  Kirgiz  removing  their  camp.  (phot,  by  von  Kinits). 

ordinary  Siberian  fir-trees.    Foliage  trees   and   shrubs   are    particularly    well 
represented. 

The  lime  tree  assumes  two  different  shapes:  Tilia  cordata  andTilia  niand- 
shurica.  while  the  maple,  unknown  in  western  Silteria,    has  here  fnur  ropre- 


PI.  36,  Kirgiz  girls  on  horseback,  (phot  by  von  Kinits). 


sentatives.  The  apple-tree,  which  in  the  Transbaikal  bears  very  small  fruits, 
develops  here  into  new  and  beautiful  s|M'cimens  of  Pyrus  ussuriensis.  Two 
different  forms  of  walnut  (Juglans  mandshurica  and  J.  stenocarpat  are  the 
chief  ornaments  of  the  .Vmtjr  forests.  Shrubs  of  still  more  peculiar  forms  are 
represented  by  24  kinds  which  are  quite  new  to  Siberia  and  the  Transbaikal. 


28 


Gi'iDK  TO  THI-:  (;ri:.\t  simimuan  haii.w.w. 


The  herbaceous  flora  includes  about  110  species  only  found  in  the  Anu'ii- 

country,  others  o(!cur  as  well  in    the   Transbaikal.  China.  Jai^an.  Kamchatka, 

and  even  America. 

Th(>  fauna  like  the  flura  is  distrihutcd  throughout    Siberia  in  accordance 

with  climate  and  surface. 

The  West-Siberian  plain,  together  with  the  Kirgiz  Steppe  border-land  and 

Eastern  Siberia  provided  with  rich  pastures  and  leafy  groves,  .giving  a  wide 

scope    to    the  breeding 

of  live-stock,    supiiort  a 

greater  number  of  cattle 

than    the    countries    of 

America    corresponding 

to    this    portion    of  thi- 

Asiatic  mainland. 

Siberia  can  also  rival 

America     with    respect 

to  the  quantity  of  fur  ani- 
mals finding  shelter  in 

the    thick   undergrowth 

of  the  taiga   and  urman 

of  the  forest    zone.    The 

animal  life  is  but  jjoorly 

represented  in  the  polar 

tundra. which  is  scarcely  ''•  ■'''-  '•■■'J''  ^'^" 

at  all  exploited  l)y  man. 

Among  the  mamnu\ls.  the  white  bear  (Ursus  maritimus)  is  the  most  north- 
ern   inhabitant   of  Siberia;   then  comes   the  arctic    fox  (Canis   lagopus),   and 

the  small  striped  „0b  leming"  (Myodes  torquatus,  M.  obensis).  The  polar  hare 

(Lepus  variabilis)  and  the  reindeer  (Cervus  tarandus).    both  characteristic  of 

the  tundra,  are  to  be  found  on  the  hilly  uplands  of  Siberia  (pi.  27—28). 

All  the  iither  mam- 
mals of  the  Siberian  plain 
are  almost  the  same  as 
in  the  northern  and  cen- 
tral regions  of  European 
Russia. 

The  alpine  \\iilf( Ca- 
nis alpinus),  two  kinds 
of  large  cats  (Felisirbis, 
F.  manul),  a  kind  of 
deer,  the  „maral''((/ervus 
elaphus).iil.  ;59.  the  moun- 
tain ram  (.Vegoceras 
moutanus),  the  „arkhar' 
(Ovis  Argali),  the  musk- 
deer  (Moschus  nioschi- 
ferus).  are  the  mammals 
most  characterislicof  the 
.\ltai  -  Sayan  |d;itfau. 
animals  arc  aliuinlantly  riqu'esented    in    Siberia  hy    binls 


PI.  38.  Flock  of  sheep  in  the  steppe. 


The  vertebrati 
and  fishes. 


GEOUKAPHICAL   AND   HlSTnldCAL   UIJVIKW  0|-  SIHKlilA. 


29 


Siberia  is  imrticularly  well  provided  villi  ainialic  liinls.  -atlioreil  in  im- 
mense troops  on  the  eoast  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  and  aloni;  lal<e  and  river  hanlis. 
In  spring  the  river-floods  coincide  in  time  with  the  ini.irration  of  the  birds, 
and  oHer  a  beautiful  siirht,  with  their  wide  expanses  of  shiniiiir  watci-,  thickly 
dotted  with  birds  of  every  hue  niovinii-  rai)idly  in  all  directions. 

The  number  of  birds  which  find  a  shelter  in  some  of  the  river  systems  is  .so 
irreat  that,  foi-  examide  on  the  Baikal,  the  siirroundini;;  diffa  and  rocks  disajipcar 
under  a  thick  layer  ot  iruano.  which  will  long  suffice  as  a  source  oi  manure. 

.\ll  the  immense  river  basins  of  Western  and  Kastern  Siberia  draining 
in  one  direction  to  the  Arctic  Ocean,  as  well  as  the  al)undant  and  extensive 
lakes,  offer  a  great  scope  for  the  development  of  animal  life. 

The^se  waters  contain  most  varied  kinds  of  fine  and  coarse  fish  represented 
l)y  perch,  jiike.  lote,  sturgeon  and  stei'let.  The  Siberian  rivers  abound  in 
particular  in  ditterent  species  of  gwiniad  including  nelma  (Salnio  nelnia  or 
Corregonus  leucichthysi  .omul"  a  kind  of  salmon  (Salnio  or  Corregonus  onuil). 
inuksi'in  (Salnio  or  corregonus  niuksun)  and  others. 

The  fauna  of  the  Amur  Littoral  region  changes  (essentially  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  Yablonovy  chain,  towards  the  Amur  basin.  Besides  all  the  species 
prevailing  in  the  cultivated  and  forest  zone  of  Silieria.  here  are  to  Ije  found 
species  common  to  the  Alt;ii-Sayan  mountains,  and  to  the  Mongolian  and 
Manchurian    steppes.    Specially    characteristic    arc:  the    musk-deer   (Moschus 


PI.  39.  Maril  stud  in  the  Alta, 


1  ipt. 


moschiferus.  the  roe-buck  (Cervus  capreolus).  the  rat-hare  (Lagomys  alpinus), 
the  korsiik  (Canis  korsac).  the  ste|i|)e  cat  (Pelis  manul).  the  tiger  (Felis  tigris). 
the  irbis  (Felis  irbis),  two  kinds  of  antilopes  (.\ntiloi)e  gutturosa.  \.  crispa). 
the  kulan  (Equus  hemionus).  the  Amur  raccoon  (Canis  procyonoides).  the 
mariil  (Cervus  elaphus).  the  boar  (Sus  scrofa).  the  mountain  wolf  (Canis 
alpinust.  the  Tibet  bear  (Ursus  tibetanus)  and  others. 

The  bii'd  fauna  comiirises  northern  and  soiilliern  sjiecies.  the  latter  being 


30  GIIOK  TO  THE  (iin:.\T  SIHKUIAX  RAILWAY. 

rppi'cscntcil  liy  prairie  cliickcns  (Svn-hii|ilt's  iiai-addxiis),  lilack  cranos  (Grus 
monacluist.  blue  ma,i;-pie.s  (Pica  cyaiia)  and  othors.  A  pofuliariy  rich  and 
varied  Ijird  fauna  is  to  be  found  on  tho  l;ist  southern  bends  of  the  Anuir. 
Iireakins;  the  mountain  chain  of  the  Litth'  Khingan,  and  also  at  the  junction 
(if  tlie  Ussuri  and  Sunirari  basins  with  the  Amur. 

Tlie  ichthyological  fauna  of  the  A'luir  and  its  tributaries  is  paiticulariy 
nt)teworthy:  there  is  tho  ..kah'iga"  among  the  sturgeon  tVimily,  which  sometimes 
weighs  about  50  puds,  and  the  stur.geon  itself  10  jiuds.  The  |>r'edoniinating 
salmonoid  species  are  an  article  of  commerce,  and  are  employed  for  food  by 
the  inhabitants  of  the  lower  reaches  of  the  Amur.  Remarkable  among  them 
are  the  Salmo  proteus  or  „gorbusha",  so  called  from  the  hump  appearing 
during  the  spawing  season,  and  the  „keta"  (Salmo  lagocephalus). 

Fui'ther  typical  forms  are  the  Amiu-  fish  (Pristidion  Semenovii)  the  Dau- 
rian  silurus  (Silurus  asotus),  a  roach  (Plagiognathus  Selskii)  the  „white  fish" 
(Culter  abramoides)  and  a  peculiar  kind  of  pike  attaining  a  huge  size  (Esox 
Keicherti). 

The  fauna  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  although  unsufficiently  investigated,  is 
known  tn  he  very  rich,  but  not  being  easily  accessible  yields  scarcely  any 
profit.  Tile  Okhotsk  and  Bering  Seas  afford  better  conditions,  but  are  also 
very  insufficiently  explored;  hardly  anything  is  known  regarding  their  ich- 
thyolo.gical  fauna,  although  some  species,  as  the  „keta"  (Salmo  lagocephalu.s) 
and  the  „malma''  (S.  callaris)  occur  here  most  plentifully.  Every  year,  an  enorm- 
ous quantity  of  herring,  cod  and  gwiniad  appear  in  shoals  on  the  coasts  of 
the  Bering  Sea.  These  waters  give  shelter  to  the  following  large  mammals: 
seals  (Phoca  barbata  groenlandica,  leporina  and  others)  dolphins  (Phocaena 
orca,  Delphinus  leucas),  whales  (Balaenoptera  longimana);  the  Bering  sea 
cimtains  sea-lions  (Eumetopias  Stelleri),  occurring  very  rarely,  the  Kamchatka 
or  sea  beaver  (Enhydris  lutris),  which  is  very  like  a  walrus;  the  sea-bear 
(Otaria  ursina)  is  abundantly  represented  on  the  islands  of  the  Bering  Sea. 
where  from  10,000  to  .50.(X)0  of  them  are  taken  annually. 

The  annexation  of  Siberia  to  Russia  was  gradually  effected  within  the 
s|)ace  of  three  centuries,  commencing  from  the  XVI  century;  it  was  achiev- 
ed without  any  particular  bloodshed,  chiefly  by  means  of  „Pree  Cossack" 
colonisation,  which  afterwards  was  utilised  and  regulated  by  the  Government. 

The  Free  Cossacks  who  gave  the  lead  to  the  Russian  emigration  move- 
ment towards  the  lower  reaches  of  the  Don  and  L>uepr.  very  soon  took  i)os- 
session  of  the  Transunil  countries,  thus  becoming  the  pioneers  and  founders 
of  Russian  colonisation  in  Asia.  The  vast  empire  of  Chingiz-Khan,  which  fell 
to  pieces  in  the  XV  century,  was  divided  into  the  following  kingdoms: 
Kazan,  Astrakhan.  Siberia.  Khiva.  Bukhara,  and  into  the  separate  Xogai  and 
Kirgiz-Kaisfik  hordes. 

The  Kazan  and  .Vstrakhaii  kingdonis.  included  in  the  Volga  basin,  were 
of  no  long  duration;  in  the  XVI  century,  they  were  already  conquered  1>.\ 
the  ever-.growing  state  of  Moscow,  thus  leaving  an  open  road  to  the  mineral 
wealth  of  tha  Cral  and  the  fur  animals  of  the  Transunil  forests. 

The  fall  of  these  two  mighty  Tatar  kin.£;donis  and  the  constant  dissensions 
in  the  Chingiz  empire  of  Central  Asia  obliged  the  ."-iiberian  Tatar  prince  Yedi- 
ger  to  declare  himself  vassal  of  the  Tsar  Ivan  IV;  howevei' the  K'han  Kuchiini. 
who  succeeded  Yediger,  soon  put  an  end  to  this  peaceful  submission  to  the 
Muscovite  power  and  began  hostile  operations  against  his  western 
neighbours. 


CiKOGriAPIIKAL  AMI  HISTHKUAI.  lilCVIKW  OF  SIDEKIA. 


31 


Ttu'  Muscovite  irnvcrnnifnt.  boinu:  at  llii>  tiiiir  cn^nissccl  in  ,i  w.w  wiih 
I^ivoniii,  entrusted  the  defence  of  its  Ural  dmniniiins  to  the  Slniiranovs,  who 
liecanio  iinminters  ol'  Russian  trade  and  industry  in  tlie  Xortii-ivist,  and  to 
the  Free  Cossaeii  bands  of  Yermak.  In  the  year  1580,  Yerniiik  roacheci  tiie 
banks  of  the  Tura  and.  havinir  defeated  the  Tatar  prince  Yepanchn,  tonk  by 
assault  the  ijstiak Tatar  town  of  Chin.!ri-Tur:i.  which  was  situated  on  the  spot 
where  the  town  of  Tiunit'n  now  stands. 

Accor<lin,ir  to  a  pojiuiar  belief,  which  has  a  cui'iiuis  likeni^ss  to  the  le^'cnd 
connected  with  tht>  conque.st  of  Mexico  l)y  Cortez.  two  animals  emerninir 
from  the  Irtysli  and  tiie  Toiiol  were  seen  to  fight  on  a  sandy  island  in  the 
Irtysh  opposite  its  junction  with  the  Tobol.  One  was  said  to  be  white  and 
shaggy  and  like  a  wolf,  the  othei'  small,  black  and  resenil)ling  a  hound.  Tiie 
smaller  animal  killed  the  bigger  one  and  disappeared  under  the  water,  but 
the  latter  rose  in  a  lew  minutes,  and  also  sought  refuge  in  the  river.  Wiz- 
zards  and  soothsayers  gave  the  following  explanation  of  the  iiortent  to  Kii- 
chum  saddened  by  his  reverses:  his  kingdom,  represented  by  the  big  animal. 
was  to  lie  conquered  by  a  Russian  w;irrior.  represented  by  the  smaller   one 


Fi.  4u.  Giipc  Cnuvdsn  near  ToudIsk  (phol.  by  UsaKOvsky). 


Pushing  on  further.  Yermak  reached  the  Tobol  on  the  2;j-rd  October  I.')S1. 
and  completely  defeated  the  hordes  of  Kuchi'im  near  the  Chuvash  Hill  (pi.  4()). 
and  thus  secured  the  Russian  dominion  beyond  the  Ural.  He  entered  Isker  or 
Sibir.  the  capital  of  the  Siberian  kini^dom,  and  hoisted  there  the  Russian  tlair 
on  the  20-th  of  October,  the  da\'  of  St.  Iiemetrius  of  .Soliin  (|il.  41 1.  .\s  Kaziin 
was  the  key  to  the  i)ossession  of  the  Volga-Kama  region,  so  was  Isker  to 
that  of  Siberia.  After  its  con(iucst,  the  entire  country  became  open  for  Rus- 
sian colonisation,  Yernuik's  exi)loit  determining  the  virtual  annexation  of  Si- 
beria  to   Russia.    Yermak    informed    the    Sti'iiaanovs  of  his  success  and  des- 


32 


(illr)I-:  TO  THK  (iRi:.\T  SIUKUIAN  kaii.w  \y 


patched  to  Mosccnv  tho  ataman  K'oltsi),  his  t'aithl'ul  companion,  with  a  i|iiant- 
ity  dl'  rich  Siborian  sables  and  a  iielititm  tn  the  Tsar  lv;'m  Vasiliovich  tn 
accc|ii  the  new  kingdom  of  Siberia. 

'['he  ambassadors  were  graciously  received  by  the  Tsar  who  duly  reward- 
I'  1  I  hem,  and  sent  Yermak  a  ijelisse  he  had  worn  himself  (a  s|)ecial  distinc- 
tion), a  gilded  silver  cup,  two  cuirasses  and  a  luindi-ed  rubles.  Yermak  however 
did  not  long  rule  over  Siberia;  in  L584,  lured  by  the  wary  Tatars,  he  nun  his  death 
on  the  6-th  August  in  the  waters  of  the  Irtysh.  „Thus  perished",  writes  an 
historian,  ,the  Russian  Cortez  and  Pizarro,  this  brave  and  wise  ataman,  who 
from  being  a  bold  robber,  thanks  to  circumstances  and  his  great  gifts,  became 
a  hei'o,  who.se  name  will  never  be  forgotten  by  the  Russian  jieople".  After 
having  annexed  Siberia  to  its  dominions,  the  Muscovite  government  took 
good  care  to  tighten  the  bond,  between  the  old- and  new  country,  by  sending 
at  different  times  voyevodas  or  captains  with  Cossack,  and  Strelets  troops  lor  the 
establishment  of  administrative  centres  with  a  view  to  future  colonisation. 
Tiumen,  Tobolsk,  Verkhoturie,  Pelym,  Beriozov,  Surgut,  Obdorsk,  Xar^ni,  ami 
Tara  were  selected  ali-eady  in  the  XVI  century  as  such  centres  for  the  Transural. 
The  tirst  attempts  at  colonisation  made  by  the  State,  the  establishment 
of  the  exile  system,  dates  from  the  end  of  the  same  century.  Thirty  families 
of  husbandmen  from  Solvychegodsk  were  sent  as  first  settlers  to  Siberia,  by 
order  of  the  Tsar  on  the  3-rd  May  1590.  The  first  exiles  were  inhabitants  ot 
the  town   of  I'glich,  who    served   as  witnesses  in  the  case  of  the  murder  of 

the     Tsarevich   Dimitri, 
and    were    banished    to 
the    town    of  Pelym  in-. 
1593.  In  the  same  year,  I 
thel'glich  bell, weighing  ' 
19  puds  and   20  pounds, 
by    way  <if  punishment, 
was  brought  toTobiJl  for., 
having  given  the  alarmf 
at  the  time  of  the   Tsa- 
i'('vichs  murder. 

The  establishnu-nt  of  , 
strongholds  was  contin- ' 
ued  in    the  XVII  centu-- 
ry.  contributing   largely 
to   the    rapid    extension 
of  Russian  power  in  the 
East. The followingstock-  ' 
aded  posts:  Tomsk,  Turinsk,  Yeniseisk,  Kansk,  Krasnoyarsk,  Yakiitsk,  Achinsk,^' 
Olekminsk,  Barguzinsk,  Irkutsk,  Balagansk,  Xerchinsk.  Kin'-nsk  arose  one  atler 
the    other,  and    became    later   on  jjrosperous  towns.  Thus  the   Russian  domi- 
nion, i'apidl.\-  I'eaching  the  Amur,  embraced   the  three  immense  water-systems 
of  Siberia  constituted  by  the  rivers  Ob,  Yenisei  and  Lena.  After  having  esta- 
blished the  needful  centres,  extended  and  regulated  the  frontiers,  the  govern-^ 
ment  was  anxious  about  the  organisation    of  the  Siberian   province;  for  thig 
purpose  it  fostered  the  development    of  agriculture  and  established  a  settledji 
population  by  the  addition    of  exiled    husbandmen,  itost-drivers.  women   des- 
tined as  wives  to  the  Cossacks,  and  granted  various  immunities  and  exenip-j 
tions  in  regard  to  taxation 


PI.  41.  Isker,  former  capital  of  Kuchum  (phot,  by  Ussakbvskaya). 


liEOGKAPHICM,  AND  HlSTnUIC  \1,  HKVIKW  OF  SIBKIilA. 


33 


i»^ 

PM^^^*^i' 

}  -  '^ 

■►- 

-^.^IpKini 

^pLHlL 

^-  ■ 

^?h|k 

^■(Bn 

Jj^^P^ 

u^i^ 

S-iSr^ 

^^ 

w 


PI.  42.  At  a  medical  and  feeding  station  for  emigrants. 


In  ltJ21,  a  ilioi-t^se  was  established  at  Tol)ulsk  fur  missinnar.N  |iur|Mises 
and  fur  the  satisfaction  of  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  srowin.ii  population. 
Besides  the  colonisation  olxanised  l)y  the  State,  there  was  a  free  emiirration  of 
much  j;reater  proportions,  consistina;  of  husbandmen  escapinir  from  the  bonds 
of  serfdom,  who  grad- 
ually occupied  and  set- 
tlfil  the  fiiunti'.\. building 
numerous  villaires.  As  a 
result  of  this  movement, 
the  number  i>f  the  jiopu- 
l.ition  at  the  hciiiuninir 
of  the  XVIII  century 
MMKumted  to  2;5t),0(X). 

From  the  beginning 
111  the  XVIII  century,  a 
line  of  fortresses:  Omsk. 
Biisk.Semiiiabitinsk.l'st- 
Kanieiiogorsk,  was  iuiilt 
ailing  the  southern  boi-d- 
cr  of  Siberia  in  order 
t"i  protect  the  young  col- 
onies from  invasion  by 
the  [ilundering  Kirgiz- 
Kaisak  and  Kalmyk  tribes. 

The  first  relations  of  the  Muscovite  governmeni  with  Siberia  were,  to  a 
large  extent,  promoted  by  the  trade  and  industrial  enterprises  of  the  Stroga- 
novs.  which  had  a  great  iutluence  on  the  mov(>ment  of  the  Russians  to  the 
East.  In  the  XVEtl  century  the  miner  I  lemidov,  who  in  1723  discovered 
the  first  mineral  deposits  on  the  .Mtai  and  established  there  copper  and  silver 
Works,  by  his  exam|ile  rendered  a  similar  service  to  the  government. 

At  the  same  time,  the  Russians  began  to  understand  the  necessity  of 
exploring  and  studying  the  new  country.  The  genius  of  Peter  the  Great  took 
the  initiative  in  this  matter,  by  establishing  communication  between  the 
Okhiitsk  Sea  and  Kamchatka,  emido.ving  exiled  Swedes  to  build  the  ships. 
In  1710,  the  scientific  exploration  of  Siberia  was  entrusted  to  L»r.  Messer- 
schmidt.  Bering's  expedition,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  existence  of 
a  passage  between  the  Asiatic  and  .Vmerican  continents  through  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  was  organised  in  172.i. 

The  great  Siberian  scientific  (expedition,  furnished  with  an  extensive  pro- 
gramme, continued  its  activity  during  ten  years  (17.'5.'5— 174:i)  and  was  the 
most  important  step  taken  in  the  XYIII  century  towards  a  nearer  acquaint- 
ance with  Russia's  dominions  in  the  East.  Captains  Cherikov,  Sjianberg. 
the  naval  officers  and  tojiographers  Chelyuskin,  Minin.Ovtsyn.Pronchishchev 
the  two  Li\|itevs.  the  astronomer  r>elille,  the  naturalist  Gmi'din.  the  historians 
Miller  and  Fischer.  Steller.  the  student  ol  the  .\cademy  of  Science.  Krashi'-nin- 
nikov  and  the  geodesic  surveyors  Krasilnikov  and  Popov  were  members  of 
Bering's  expedition.  Tts  scientific  results  were  the  first  detailed  description 
of  Kanich;\tka  written  by  Steller  and  Krasheninnikov.  the  description  of  the 
Siberian  flora  by  Gimdin,  and  a  historical  review  of  Siberia  by  Miller.  Its 
practical  result  was  manitested  in  the  gradual  Russian  occuiiation  of  the 
north-westem  portion  of  America  and  of  the  .\leutian  Islands. 


34 


onnic  TO  THio  okkat  siiii;iii.\N  railway. 


The  ex|)(_'dition  ol'  the  ac-adcniicians  Pallas  and  Lfpukliin,  which  took 
place  in  1770—1774,  was  also  of  great  import  on  account  of  its  geographi- 
cal results. 

The  discovery  nt'  the  grouji  of  the  Xew  Siberian  Islands  liy  the  nuM'chant 
I.iakhov  between  17()0— 1770,  coincides  with  the  same  epoch,  as  well  as  that 
id'  an  island  on  the  Bering  Sea  by  the  merchant  Pribylov,  which  received 
his  name,  and  soon  became  the  centre  of  the  seal  trade. 

At  the  same  time  as  the  Russians  pushed  their  dominions  further  to  the 
north  and  the  nort-east,  they  moved  their  boundaries  into  the  interior  of  Asia. 

This  extension  began  in  17.'U  by  the  sulijection  of  the  Little  Kirgiz  tribe 
to  Russia,  w^hich  was  followed  towards  the  end  of  the  XVIII  century  by 
the  subjection  of  the  Middle  tribe.  During  the  XVIU  century,  colonisation 
was  connected  with  the  exile  system  which,  at  first  adopted  in  extraordinary 
cases,  soon  became  generally  applied  by  the  Government  in  order  to  increase 
the  numljer  of  colonists.  Compulsory    settlements   were    established    for   the 


PI.  43.  Movable  school  at  an  emigration  station. 


same  purpose;  this  organisation  however,  in  many  instances,  [iroved  unsuc- 
cessful from  the  lack  of  the  necessary  provision  for  the  welfare  of  the  emi- 
grants. The  greatest  contingent  of  colonists  w-as  represented  by  free  settlers 
who  s([uatted  on  the  land  without  any  authorisation. 

According  to  the  census  made  by  the  sixth  revision  towards  the  end  of 
the  XVIII  century.  Siberia  contained  about  770,200  tax  paying  males,  and 
a  total  of  1.50i),()00  inhabitants. 

The  most  important  territorial  annexations  strengthening  the  Russian 
power  in  the  East,  were  made  in  the  XIX  century.  All  these  occu|>ations 
were  elfected  according  to  the  Russian  custom  without  any  l)loodshed,  by 
means  of  peaceful  agreements  and  treaties.  The  nomads  of  the  Kirgiz-Kaisak 
steppes,  having  confidence  in  the  tnice   of  the   Russian  arms,   often   sought 


GEOOIi.\l>Hir.\I,  AND  HISTORICAL  RKVIEW  OF  SIHKRIA 


35 


PI.  44.  Settler's  hut  in  winter. 


^lu'ller  ;iu:ainst  the  iiivasion.s  df  tlu'  lui.stile  Asiatic  Talai-  tribes,  and  apiilit'd 
ti>  tho  Russian  autlidi-itios  for  tlio  settliMutMit  of  family  dissonsions. 

Russia  was  thus  cncoiiraiied  to  push  hor  foroposts  into  tho  interior  id  Ihv 
stoppo.  Iioyond  tlio  Sihorian  and  Irtysh  houndarios.  In  this  way  the  Cossack 
sottlemcnt  of  Koivchet;ivsk  was  founded  in  1824;  that  of  Hayan-.\ul  in  1826.  and 
Aknudinsk  in  1827. 

An  expioi'ation  of  the  steppes  undertaken  liy  the  i^issian  naturalists 
and  sreolotrists  Kandin, 
Sidirenk,  and  Vlanu;ili. 
was  carried  on  simulta- 
neously with  their  colo- 
nisation. 

The  Russian  govern- 
ment and  men  of  science 
spared  neither  money 
nor  labour  for  a  scient- 
ific and  ffeo.srraphical 
investiiration  of  the  north 
')f  Siberia; the  first scient- 
Itic  exiiloratlon  of  the 
New  Siberian  Islands 
was  oriranised  in  18()i)— 
isio  under  Hedenstrom. 
I'm-intr  the  period  from 
isi.-)  to  1820,  an  expedi- 
tion of  famous   Russian 

navigators:  Kotzebu,  count  Litke,  baron  Wranuei  and  .\njon  surveyed  the  Arctic 
Ocean  and  the  Berinir  Sea. 

The  Russian  irnvernment  was  still  more  anxious  about  the  cxplnratliMi 
of  the  southern  portions  in  view  of  future  colonisation. 

In  1826,  the  expedition  of  Ledebur,  Meier  and  Hunsie  had  for  obj(M-t  tl\c 
study  of  the  peculiar  Altai  flora;  while  the  ex|)edltion  of  Humboldt,  Rose  an<l 
Erenber.s  formed  by  the  Emperor  Nicholas  I.  was  entrusted  with  the  investiga- 
tion of  the  geological 
structure  of  the  Altai 
plateau.  Two  important 
scientific  journeys  to  Si- 
beria were  made  within 
the  years  1842  — 184.=i: 
one  by  Chlkhachov,  di- 
rected to  the  south-east- 
ern part  of  the  Altai: 
the  other,  by  Middcn- 
dorf  to  the  Taimyr  pen- 
insula and  to  the  coasts 
of  the  Okhotsk  Sea. 
The  discovery,  in 
1840,  of  the  estuary  of  the  Amiir,  by  the  transi)ort  „Baikar  under  command 
of  Capt.  Xevelsky.and  of  the  mouth  itself,  by  Lieut.  Kazaki'vlch  on  a  sloop  td' 
the  same  vessel,  gave  a  fresh  start  to  Russian  colonisation  in  the  Amur 
region. 


PI.  45.  Settler's  earthen  huts  in  the  steppe. 


3a 


;i6 


CiriDK  TO  TIIK  OKKAT  .SUilORIAN  RAILWAY, 


Tile  oc('ii|iatiiiii  iif  till'  Aiiiur  innutli  was  efTecti'd  willidut  I'l'sislaiicc 
friini  an.\  side,  tho  Chinese  sovernment  havinii'  made  no  claim  either  to  the 
lower  roaches  of  the  Amur  or  to  the  land  lyinj;-  between  the  I'ssuri  and  the 
Eastern  Ocean.  The  important  achievement  of  the  annexation  ot'  the  entire 
Amur  province  to  Russia  was  due  to  the  enerny  of  count  Muraviov-Amursk.N-. 
then  Governor-General  of  H]astern  Siberia.  The  ori;-anisation  of  settlements,  on 
the  lower  waters  of  the  Amur,  together  with  the  openinti;  of  water  communi- 
cation with  the  Transbaikal,  and  the  movement  of  Cossacks  and  peasants  to 
the  desert  valleys  of  that  river  and  its  tributaries,  led  to  the  I'ekin  tr(>aty 
of  the  2  November  1860,  concluded  by  Count  X.  P.  Ignatiev,  according  to 
which  the  Chinese  government,  acknowledging  the  force  of  the  Aigi'in  treaty 
and  the  Tian-Tsin  agreement,  surrendered  the  possession  of  the  .\mur  river 
and  of  the  entire  Ussuri  province  to  Russia.  At  the  same  time,  the  riidi  high- 
land of  Zailisk  was  annexed  to  the  south-western  part  ol'  Asiatic  Russia. 


PI.  46.  Group  of  emigrants  from  the  Poltava  qovernment  on  the  shore  of  the 
Baikal  (phot,  by  Drizninko). 


After  these  two  regions  were  occupied,  llu^x  were  subjected  to  scientific 
exploration,  and  soon  afterwards  colonised. 

Tha.  astronomer  Schwartz,  the  naturalist  Radde,  the  geologist  Schmidt 
the  zoologist  Schrenk  and  the  botanists  Maksimovich  and  Maak,  who  were 
despatched  to  Eastern  Siberia  in  lS5.o,  rendered  an  immense  service  to  the 
new  country  by  their  scientific  investigations.  This  ])ortion  of  Siberia  was 
also  carefully  explored  by  such  eminent  men  as  Semionov,  Severtsov,  Veniu- 
kov,  Fedchenko,  Mushkt'tov.  Pol;'min,  I'rzewalski.  Pevtsov.  Yadrintsev,  Hog- 
danovich  and  others,  who  all  played  an  iiupoi-tant  pai1  in  the  liistor,\-  of 
this  country. 

More  lately,  special  atteutinn  was  paid  to  the  smitliern  fertile  zone  of 
Siberia  whicdi  is  by  natiii-e  itself  particularly  well  fitted  lor  colonisation;  the 
economic  conditions  of  peasant  life  in  the  already  colonised  disti'icts.  and 
the  customs  of  the  natives,  have  been  subjected  to  special  investigation  in 
connexion  with  the  geological  exploration  of  the  country  traversed  by  the 
Great  Siberian  Railway. 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  KlSTORiavL  REVIEW  OF  SIBERIA. 


37 


III  accordaiu-f  with  tlic  pro.srams  which  witi-  ih'awn  up  fur  this  |iui-pnsc 
in  IHSl  hy  the  Ministry  uf  Airricultm-c  and  State  I»umains.  in  Western  Sihp- 
ria.  ami  hy  the  t'onner  Govi'rnor-Cu'ni'ral  of  Irkutsk,   Tnunt   A.  I*.  Ii;ii;itii'v.  in 


e;.l  _:  No;j  N^kslaevo 


Eastern  Siberia,  the  condition  ot'  the  villaire  population  was  made  the  object 
of  a  .special  study,  with  the  best  ethnosiraphical  and  economical  results.  At 
the  same  time,  the  geological  researches  of  the  mining  parties,  sent  by  the 
Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  State  Domains,  have  ascertained  the  nature  of 
the  soil,  and  indicated  the  jMiints  where  building-stone,  fuel  and  other  useful 
minerals  are  to  be  found  throughout  the  entire  course  of  the  Great  Siberian 
Railway,  thus  openin.;^  a  wide  prospect  to  the  development  of  mining  and 
industrial  enterprise. 

The  attem]»ts  at  establishing  a  sea-route  for  trade  to  the  coasts  of  Xor- 
thern  Siberia,  which  from  the  end  of  the  XVI  and  the  beginning  of  the  XVII 
centuries  had  been  al)andoned  for  a  period  of  2.50  years,  havi'  a.i^ain  been  ta- 
ken up  in  the  jiresent  century  Ity  some  Russian,  and  even  Scandinavian. 
English  and  .\merican,  navigators.  The  success  obtained  in  this  direction  by 
Wiggins  in  1874  and  by  Xordenskjold  in  1875,  modified  the  opinion  hitherto 
held  as  to  the  inaccessibility  of  the  Kara  Sea:  the  expedition  of  Xordenskjold 
organised  in  1S78— ls7ii  with  the  assistance  of  Sibiriak(iv  readied  the  Siberian 
northern  coast  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  through  the  Bering  .Strait,  and  thus  pro- 
ved that  the  .\rctic  Ocean,  in  direct  water  comnuinication  with  the  sources 
of  the  Ob  and  Yenisei,  offers  a  most  suitable  route  for  navigation  and  trade. 

About  20  exi»editions,  undertaken  since  1887.  all  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  coasts  of  Siberia,  and  thus  served  to  establish  the  feasibility  ol  this  route 
now  further  facilitated  by  the  use  of  icebreakers,  insuring  a  free  passage 
throuirh  the  Kara  Sea. 

During  the  whole  of  the  last  century,  Russian  colonisation  in  Siberia  was 
ever  on  the  increase.  At  first,  the  number  of  exiles  was  about  two  thousand 


38  GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

a  year;  IVom  is.io.  risinu-  iiradiially,  their  number  reached  ten  times  this 
fiiiure.  aniduntin.u-  to  2o,0(H).  This  irreat  continirent  of  exile  settlers  oii.i^ht  to 
have  considerably  influenced  colonisation  and  the  in(;rease  of  the  jjopulation: 
neither  iihenomenon  was  however  observed. 

The  importance  of  the  exile  system,  as  a  means  of  colonisation,  was  di- 
minished by  the  unsuitable  choice  of  localities:  the  exiles  w^ere  not  settled 
on  unoccupied  lands,  but  merely  attached  to  settlements  and  villaires  (d'  the 
older  inhabitants  in  a  proportion  not  exceeding  ' .'.  of  the  oriiiinal  population. 

Want  of  economic  organisation,  poverty,  absence  of  domestic  habits, 
immorality  produced  by  prison  life  and  long  wanderings  from  one  etape  to 
another,  all  these  causes  together  produced  a  great  mortality.  The  age  of 
the  convicts,  which  generally  varies  from  .Sti  to  .50  years,  is  not  suitai^le  for 
marriage  and  for  a  fresh  start  in  family  life.  This  too  was  an  im|iediment 
to  a  sound  economic  organisation  of  convict  life.  On  the  whole,  in  the  nui.jor- 
ity  of  cases  the  presence  of  exiles  weighed  heavily  both  materially  and  mor- 
ally on  the  original  population. 

The  greater  part  of  the  increase  in  the  population,  during  the  XIX 
century  and  the  precedent  period,  was  due  to  the  settlement  of  peasants  by 
the  State,  and  to  free  emigration.  Each  time  the  State  gave  permission  to 
settle  certain  localities  indicated  by  it,  all  parts  of  Russia  profited  by  this 
permission  and  joined  in  the  movement. 

Such  periods  of  emigration  occurred  in  the  twenties,  and  again  from  1H47  to 
18,5.5.  This  movement  was  encouraged  by  the  State.  Part  of  the  settlers,  regis- 
tered in  the  Siberian  Cossack  class,  founded  new  settlements  in  the  steppe 
borderland,  and  helped  to  colonise  the  western  governments  of  Siberia.  Emig- 
ration reached  its  greatest  extent  prior  to  the  Crimean  war,  followed  by  a 
lull  in  1855;  it  began  again  after  the  war,  being  evoked  by  the  propositiim 
of  the  government  to  settle  on  the  banks  of  the  Amiir. 

Previous  to  lst32,  which  was  the  year  of  the  abolition  of  serfdom,  the 
stream  again  decreased,  rising  considerably  soon  afterwards,  under  the 
influence  of  the  propagation  of  the  emigration  movement  started  in  many 
governments  of  Russia. 

Besides  the  legal  emigration,  which  was  attended  with  many  difficul- 
ties, the  movement  beyond  the  Ural  frequently  took  place  naturally  without 
any  formal  permission,  according  to  the  custom  of  former  years,  taking  its 
course  by  different  routes  and  spreading  in  all  directions  over  the  wide  area 
bounded  by  the  Irbit-Tiumen  highway  and  the  southern  borders  of  the  Oren- 
burg government.  Regulation  of  the  emigration  movement  and  registration 
of  the  bodies  of  settlers,  bound  for  Siberia  through  the  Volga  and  Ob  basins, 
was  instituted  at  some  central  points  in  18si. 

The  law  of  the  l.S  Jul.v,  1889,  with  regard  to  the  free  emigration  of  the 
village  and  town  population  to  state  lands,  providing  the  new  settlers  with 
arable  land,  gave  a  more  effectual  regulation  to  this  movement.  According 
to  this  law,  which  at  first  comprised  th(>  goveiMiment  of  Western  Siberia,  To- 
bolsk and  Tomsk,  and  the  Steppe  cmintries,  and  in  1892  included  the  eastern 
governments  of  Yeniseisk  and  Irkutsk,  the  emigrants  who  had  quitted  their 
former  abodes  upon  fulfilment  of  all  the  necessary  conditions,  received  a 
grant  of  15  desiatins  of  agricultural  land  a  head  with  the  right  to  enjoy  the 
same  tor  three  years  free  of  taxes.  1  Hiring  the  following  three  years,  the  tax 
is  reduced  to  half,  and  is  imi)osed  id  the  full  amountof  R.  2.  71  k.,or  18'isk. 
per  desiatin,  only  alter  the  lapse  of  6  years. 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  IIISTOKICAL  REVIKW  (IK  SIliKRIA. 


39 


An-Drdini;-  to  this  same  law.  all  lawful  ciniiirants  aiv  pcrinitit'il  to  pusliioiu' 
lit>ir  military  service  for  three  years. 

The  poorest  settlors  who  are  in  neetl  of  help,  in  some  eases  reeeive  addi- 
tiomil  grant  of  wood  for  the  construction  of  their  hmises.  and  a  loan  of  seed- 
corn,  an  alimentation  allowance  and  farm  inventary.  This  loan  advance  may 
be  returned  within  a  period  of  ten  years  reckoned  after  the  first  three  years 
use  of  the  hind. 

Since  the  lime  of  the  formation  of  the  Committee  for  the  construction  of 
the  Siberian  Railway,  which  took  charire  of  the  emiirrants   on    their   way    to 
Siberia,  and  organised  their  scitlemenl  within  tiie  range  nf  the  railway  line, 
and    since    the   opening 
ol  the  tratlic  on  the  West- 
Siberian      section,     the 
greater  part  of  the  emig- 
rants,   whose     numbers 
increased    considerably, 
proceded    to    Siberia  by 
the  Samara-ZiatoLisl  line, 
by   way    of  Cheliabinsk 
(pi.  42— to). 

The  increase  of  this 
movement,  partly  occas- 
ioned by  the  various  eco- 
uomicai  considerations 
which  generally  cause 
a  popular  emigration, 
may  further  be  explain- 
ed by  the  facilitation  in 
tlie  methods  ol  con- 
veyance, which  to  a 
great  e.\tent  reduced  the 
expenditure  and  shorten- 
ed the  time  formerly 
required  for  emigration. 
Provided  with  railway 
facilities  and  receiving 
assistance  at  the  sani- 
tary stations  organised 
by  the  Committee  of  the 
Siberian  Railway,  where 
tree  medical  help  and  cheap  or  free  food  is  offered  them,  the  settlers  arrive 
at  their  new  alxules  without  loss  of  strength  and  energy,  which  enables  them 
to  apply  all  their  faculties  and  activity  to  the  hard  work  connected  with  the 
establishment  of  a  new  husbandry.  Only  an  eyewitness  can  judge  of  the 
great  force  of  resistance  and  endurance  of  hard  work,  which  the  settlers 
bring  with  them  and  which  increases  as  they  ai>proach  the  chosen  and  de- 
sired land,  in  i)revision  of  the  battles  they  will  have  to  tight  with  a  harsh  and 
unknown  nature,  before  settling  down  and  organising  their  households.  Their 
only  support  is   the   hope  of  a  better  future  and  their  strong  religious  faith 

State  Secretary  Kulomzi'n,  who  visited  the  cidonised  regions,  situated 
along   the   Siberian  Railway  and  is    well    ac([uainted    with  peasant    life   and 


^ 

y^^k 

4il| 

l..^t.._.^BSi 

1      1 

■'"41  KB 

Ww    !  i 

z:i 

^1  mi      i  MJ  "■ 

'^ 

1 

.--..v.< 

Pi.  46. 


fype  ol  church  in  emigration  seltlements  and  at 
railway  stations. 


40  GUIDE  TO  THE  GUEAT  SIBERIAN  KAIEWAY. 

the  ninditions  of  (MiiiiiiMt ion,  declares  Ihal  the  leadinji'  element  of  the  pivseiil 
eini.nratlon  is  representeil  by  men  who  morally  seem  to  he  related  to  those 
enterprising  Russians  who  in  the  Wl  anil  Wll  centuries  wandcnMl  to  thr 
limits  of  the  Muscovite  state,  to  tlie  Steiipes,  the  Don,  to  ihe  Yaik  and  to  Siberia, 
and  settled  there  as  Free  Cossacks,  strengthening  Russian  jxiwer  and  iilanting 
Russian  civilisation.  The  difference  hetween  the  present  emigrants  and  the 
hero  colonists  of  former  days  consists  in  the  absence  among  the  former  of 
the  warlike  spirit. 

Our  emigrants  of  to-day  are  more  peaceful,  nmn^  inclined  to  satisfy  the 
homely  tastes  which  have  survived  amidst  the  untoward  conditions  of  their 
former  life;  at  the  same  time,  they  are  energetic  and  enterprising,  capable 
of  standing  up  for  themselves  and  of  fighting  against  misfortune,  and  alsc 
restless,  dissatisfied  with  the  existing  order,  neither  fit  nor  willing  to  submit 
to  the  legal  forms  and  ever  increasing  authority  otthe  law  prevailing  in  Euro- 
pean Russia:  all  these  traits  give  them  a  likeness  to  those  ancient 
conquerors  who  developed  and  expanded  Russian  power. 

As  a  result  of  natural  increase  and  of  emigration  from  without,  compris- 
ing therein  both  exiles  and  settlers,  the  population  of  the  four  governments  of 
Tobolsk,  Tomsk,  Yeniseisk  and  Irkutsk,  and  the  six  territories  of  Akniolinsk,  Se- 
mipalatinsk,  Yakutsk,  the  Transbaikal,  the  Amur  and  the  Littoral,  including 
the  island  of  Sakhalin,  reached  the  figui-e  of  7,Oi)1.244  at  the  c(>nsus  of  the 
28  January,  1S97. 

Within  a  space  of  .39  years,  the  total  poi)ulation  of  Siberia,  comprising 
the  same  territories  (exclusive  of  the  Amur,  the  Ussiiri  jiroviuces  and  the 
island  of  Sakhalin,  which  at  that  time  were  almost  uninhabited)  increased 
by  100  percent,  (with  a  predomination  of  males  over  females)  as  compared 
with  the  data  of  the  X-th  revision  of  1858—1859. 

The  following  figures  given  by  the  X-th  revision  and  those  of  the  last 
census,  illustrate  the  growth  of  the  population  in  each  separate  territory: 

POPULATION  IN  1858. 
GOVERNMENTS  AND  TERRITORIES.  j„„,,,  ,..^,„„,^.  .^^..^AL. 

Tobolsk .504,105  517,11)1  1.021,2t)U 

Tomsk ;354,580  ;540,07 1  (594,t)51 

^■enis('isk l(iO.H7()  142,580  :3o;i25ti 

Irkutsk 115.110  107.42:3  222..5:!;3 

Akmolinsk 149.1.31  r2H.;32it  277.451 

Semipalatinsk  118,040  99,411  217.451 

Transbaik;U I79,7(i5  172,709  352,534 

.Vinur —  —  ^ 

Littoral riMd  9,194  21,860 

Total 1,7(53,099         1,667,839  :3,4;30,9;W 

GOVERNMENTS  AND  POPULATION  ON  THE  28  JANUARY  1897. 

TERRITORIES.  ^^J^^^"'  Males.  Fomale...  TOTAL. 

Toliolsk 1,295,7.58.3  711,982  726,502  1,4:38.484 

Tomsk 749,819.3  970,780  9,58,312  1.929.092 

Yenisi'isk 2.259,592.3  291,555  2()8,347  559.91 12 

Irkutsk 70:3,650.3  267,.520  2.38,997  5(i(;,517 

Yakutsk ;3,452,655.3  i;36,{i(il  125.(i7ii  261.731 

Akmolinsk 479,2(K».2  :3.54,8:i9  .324„5S7  67S,957 


GEOGRAPHICAL  .\ND  HISTORICAL  REVIKW  OF  SIBERIA. 


41 


GOVERNMENTS  AND  POPULATION  ON  THE  28  JANUARY  1897. 

TERRITORIES.                      ■''^.'^,;'?,r'»-           .M»les.  Females.           TOTAL. 

Seinipalatin.sk 428,527.8        ;?()4.8;52  .Tiii.^SS        lW5.Ut7 

Trunsbaikal 547.965.6        3.38,722  .325,349        044,071 

.\iiiur 393.300.1)          66,595  51,975        220.557 

Littoral 1.029,424.0        150.826  69,731        220.557 

Sakhalin 0t),702.O          20,518  7,648          28,160 

Total  . . .  12,000,091,4     3,673,708  3,417,476     7,091,244 

Inhnb.  per  Proport.  of 
sq.  versts.            women  to  liKi  men. 

Tobolsk 1.2  102.0 

Tomsk 2.6  98.7 

Yeniseisk 0.3  91.0 

Irkiitsk 0.8  08.1 

Yakut.sk 0.1  94.5 

-Vkmolinsk 1.3  92.5 

Seinipalatinsk 1.7  87.8 

Transbaika! 1.3  96.2 

.Vinur 1.3  75.6 

Littoral 0.1  45.5 

Sakhalin 0.4  37.3 

All  Siberia 0.58  93.3 

Largest  towns,  according  to  the  last  census. 

POPULATION. 


TOWNS. 

M.iles. 

Females. 

TOTAL. 

Prop,  of  worae 
10  UK)  men. 

Toin.sk 

27.140 

25,290 

52.430 

93.2 

h-kiitsk 

26.567 

24.917 

51,484 

93.2 

Omsk 

20,106 

17,304 

37,470 

86.4 

Blagoveshchensk 

19.665 

12,941 

.S2.60t> 

65.3 

Tinmen 

14.9S8 

14.000 

14,286 

4.535 

29,5as 

29.408 
2M.9H6 

97.4 

Barnaul 

15.122 

94.4 

Vladivostok 

24.301 

15.0 

Krasnoyarsk 

14.573 

12,027 

26.ti53 

88.2 

Seini|ial:itinsk 

14.153 

12,200 

20.953 

82.5 

Khabarovsk 

11.073 

3,259 

14.972 

27.9 

•  hita 

0,429 

4,603 

11,032 
36.197 

71.0 

Yakiitsk 

3.506 

2.691 

76.8 

The  proportion  of  the  town  population,  forming  not  above  8  percent,  of  the 
total,  is  much  inferior  to  that  of  Euroi)ean  Russia,  a  result  of  the  insutTi- 
cient  development  of  manufactures,  trade  and  industry. 

The  Russian  orthodox  element  takes  tlip  most  important  place  among  the 
ethnographical  divisions  of  the  whole  jjopulation. 

The  traveller  on  his  way  from  the  Ural  to  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  Ocean 
by  the  Great  Siberian  Railway  runninu-  through  the  ajrriciiltural  zono. 
traverses  a  broad  stretch  of  land  nairowinsr  to  the  East,  inhabited  l)y  Rus- 
sians. To  the  south  and  north,  the  Russian  poi)ulation  is  surrounded  by  na- 
tives among  whom  it  is  also  scattered  in  groups. 


42 


CiriDK  TO  THE  (iRE.VT  SIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


The  iiiitivc  poiuilation  of  Siboria  is  divided  with  regard  to  its  (iriii'in  into 
the  Injiowini;-  tribes:  1)  Turks.  2)  Finns  and  ;il  Monii-ois. 

Amnnn'  the  abori.u'enes  of  the  eoiiiiti'v.  the  l\ii'i:i/..  Tatars,  liiikliiii-ians 
and  Yakuts  belonir  to  the  Turk  race. 

TheKirgiz.  forniiuii- the  fuiulaineiital  |io|aiialiiin  nf  the  Akniolinsk  and  Seini- 


Pl.  49.  Kirgiz  removing  their  camp.  (phot,  by  von  Kinits). 

paiatinsk  steppe  regions,  represented  by  al)ove  one  million  soids.  speak  a  'I'lirkish 

dialect,  jirofess  Molianiniedanisni  and  are  nomadic  cattle-breeders  (pi.  4!i,  'lO.  .")1 ). 

The  Tatars  ami  liukhiirians,  who  have   received  an  admixture  of  Finnish 

and  Moni.'(dian  blonil,  are  met  within  .-ill    the  districts    of    the    Tobolsk    and 


PI.  50.  Types  of  Kirgiz  women  and  girls  (phot  by  von  Kinits). 

Tomsk  governments;  th(>,v  also  speak  a  Turkish  dialect,  proless  Mohammed- 
anism, and  subsist  by  agriculture  and  trade. 

A  number  of  Tatars  (pi.  52),  inhabiting  the  Altai  district,  retain  their  nom- 
adic   habits  and  their  anci<>nt    shamanistic  faith.    .Many  of  tliem    are  related 


OEOGRAPHICAI,  AND  HISTORIPAL  UKVIEW  OF  SIBERIA. 


43 


til  llii>  Tatars  of  Kaziiii  and  inhaliit  llui  towns  in  the  sti'|i|ic  rc.nion.  occii- 
pyin.a;  thoiusolves  cliieny  with  trade.  Various  localities  in  Eastern  Siiieria 
are  inhal)ited  by  Tatars.  Thus  for  example,  in  the  Y<>niseisk  iioverniuent,  at 
the  loot  of  the  Sa,\an.  there  are  are  about  forty  thousand  russified,  uiaiiil.\- 
orthodox.  Taliirs  en,i;a,i,M>d  in  airrleulture.  .\|ii>roxiiiiati'ly  the  total  nunibi>r  of 
Tatars  and  Hukhai-ians  in  Siberia  is  about  2,')0,UX).  The  Yaiviits  dwell  in  the 
Vakiit,sk  territory;  their  number  is  ,i,nveu  as  230,001).  They  speak  a  Turkish 
dialeet,  eontainin.ir  an  element  of  Moni;olian  words;  their  reliirion  is  .Sluima- 
nisin  and  their  occupation  huntins:  and  cattle-raisiiiir.  The  ethnoirraphical 
character  of  this  trib(>  is  distiiK-tly  evitlenced  by  their  existinir  type,  ijencr.il 
appearance,  manners,  customs  and  dress  (pi.  .'),')— ,")S). 

The  \'oi;uls  ami  Ostiiiks  arc  descended  rroiii  the  l''iiinish  I'acc.  The  \'o,giils 
licloUiT    to    the    .-incient    lVi">i-Kinnish    tribes,  anil    ai-e  closelv  rela'ed    to  the 


Pi.  51.  Chiefs  and  Bis  of  a  Kirgiz  village  (phot,  by  Kessler). 

historical  Thud  and  Ugor;  the  Hungarians  are  a  brancii  from  the  same  stem, 
and  the  Haslikirs  or  Paskoti'rs  also  cnme  of  this  stock.  They  occupy  the 
northern  jiart  of  the  Tobolsk  erovernment  being  settled  along  the  livers 
Tavodii.  Kond;i  and  Sosvii.  They  numlier  about  T.iKio  and  inhabit  forests 
and  swamps.  Hunting,  fishing,  gathering  cedai--nuts.  and  otiier  similar  pursuits 
engage  them  in  a  nomadic  existence  for  half  the  year.  They  stand  at  a  very 
low  stage  of  culture  and  their  religion  is  mainly  shamanistic.  although  they 
were  nominally  converted  to  orthodoxy  by  Filophid  Leshchinsky  in  1714  and 
1722.  They  are  bapti.sed.  l)ut  have  a  preference  for  paganism,  the  faith  of  their 
forefathers. 


44 


criDK  TO  THE  GUEAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


PI.  52.  Altiyans  on  the  river  Katun  (phot  by  prof.  Sap6zhnikov). 


The  Ostiaks,  scattorod  tlirounhout  th(>  north  of  Siberia  bohvocn  57°  and 
T.i"  of  X.  hititiidc,  dwell  partly  on  the  coast  of  the  Airtlc  Ocean,  in  the  Nor- 
ihei'ii  I'l-id,  and  piirtly  within  the  area  lying  between  the  Irtysli  and  Ob, 
ciiniiirisin,!;'  tlu>  swampy  and  wooded  wastes  of  the  \'asiiiiransk  tniidra  (pi. 
(ill,  t);5).  It  has  not  yet  been 
ascertained  what  part  the,\- 
played  in  history,  but  it 
lias  been  proved  that  they 
came  from  the  south  of 
Siberia.  This  tribe  possess- 
es a  b(>autifid  epos  bear- 
ing some  analogy  to  the 
Scandinavian  sagas.  They 
number  approximately 
;-5(),0(J().  Tha.  greater  part  of 
the  Ostiaks,  inhabiting  the 
forest  zone,  get  their  live- 
lihddd  by  huntin.g,  fishing 
and  cnllecting  cedar-nuts. 
Liki'  the  Vogiils,  they  only 
iidiniaally    belong  to    the 

(irtliodox  religion,  being  virtually  Shamanists.  A  numiier  of  them,  dwelling 
in  the  polar  tundra  zone,  pass  their  lives  in  tending  their  reindeer,  and  have 
become  very  much  assimilated  to  the  Samoyeds.  Some  of  the  Ostiaks  in  close 
connexion  w'ith  the  permanent  Russian  population  of  Xorthern  Siberia,  are  thor- 
oughly russified  and  jirofess  the  orthodox  religion. 

The    Mongolian    stock    is    represented    by   the   Telei'it    and  Telengtit,  tiie 
Buri:'it,  Sainoyi'd.  .Maniduiriiin,  Tungus  and  Giliak  tribes. 

The  Teleiits  inhabit  the  Altai  iilateau 
in  the  Tomsk,  Kuznetsk  and  Biisk  districts: 
they  number  about  20,(1(W  (pi.  53,  54),  and 
are  nomads  devoted  to  cattle-breeding 
and  hunting.  They  have  a  Mongolian  type 
,iud  belong  to  the  Buddhist  religion. 

The  Telengiits,  wandering  along  the 
valleys  of  the  Altai  rivers,  the  Chi'iya,  Chu- 
lishiuan  and  others,  are  also  known  as 
I  liankhaets  and  Kalmyks,  and  are  split 
into  many  diflerent  insignificant  tribes 
under  such  names  as  Akshishtym,  Mliiit. 
oirat  etc. 

'file  l!uri:'its.  whose  number  is  abolU 
■21IIMHK),  lorm  the  main  population  o|'  tlie 
Transbaikal  and  Irkutsk  governnu'ut  (pi 
(i4).  They  are  engaged  partly  in  agriculture, 
and  are  either  Buddhists  or  Lamaists. 
to  the  permanent  native  population  of  the 
.\miir  territory,  practise  agriculture.  With  regard  to  their  habits  and  religion, 
ilie.\  have  a  great  likeness  to  the  Chiues(\  although  the.\-  seem  to  be  less 
civilised  than  their  Korean  neighbours.  Their  number  is  given  as  about  3,000. 
The  Sauioyi'd  inhabit  tiie  extreme  iioi'tli  of  Siin'iia;  their  camps  are  scattered 


PI.  53.  Teleiits  on  the  Altai. 

but  pi-incipally  in  cattle-breeding. 
The    Manchurians,  helonu'ing 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  REVIEAV  OP  SIBERIA. 


45 


iliriiii;rhout  thi'  coasts  of  the  Air 
mcnts  of  Tolxilsk  and  Yonisi'-isk. 
a  niunadii-  life  siicnt  in 
huntiniT.  tishinir,  and 
searrhing  for  nianinioth 
ivory,  wiiii'h  they  sell. 
Keindoer  are  their  chief 
i-csource.  the  more  weal- 
thy Saniiiyeds  ownini: 
several  thousand  head. 
They  possess  in  perfection 
tiie  art  of  preparinsr  fui> 
and  tannin.ir  hides.  .Ml 
the  Samoyeds  are  iia- 
•rans.  The  Yuniks  wan- 
dering over  the  Tazuvsk 
tundra  are  related  to  them, 
as  are  also  some  of  the 
small  tribes  of  the  Sayan 
now  fast  becoming   extinct 


tic  Ocean,  within  the  borders  of  the  govern- 
Their  number  amounts  to  ti,()()i).   Thev   lead 


PI.  55.  Yakut  of  the  Olikminsk  district 
(phot,  by  Gavrilov). 


PI.  54.  Teleut  dwellings 

The  Tungus  together  with  the  allied 
Mongol  tribes,  account  for  the  greater 
portion  of  the  native  population  of  East- 
ern Siberia  (pi.  Hr>.  m\.  Their  nomadic 
life  leads  them  from  the  Yenist-i  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  and  southwards  to  the 
('hinese  frontier. 

Their  herds  of  reindeer,  hunting  and 
lishing  constitute  their  chief  resources.  The 
majority  of  the  Tungus  belong  to  the  oi-- 
ihodox  religion,  but  as  they  are  ignorant 
of  the  Russian  language,  and  then*  chur- 
ches are  few  and  at  a  great  distance 
apart,  the  zeal  of  the  missionaries  meets 
with  but  little  success. 

The  Lamiit,  Yukagirs,  Chiikch  and 
Chuvanets,  Koriaks  and  other  tribes  inhabi- 
ting the  arctic  and  polar  regions  belong 
to  the  Tungus  stock,  but  have  not  passed 
the  lowest  stiige  of  civilisation.  The  Ma- 
m-gr,  Orochen.  Gold,  Olch  and  ilangun 
tribes,  no  more  civilised  than  their  north- 
ern brethren,  come  ot  the  Tungus- 
Manchu  race,  and  are  located  on  the  .\mur 
and  in  the  Littoral  territory.  The  proxi- 
mity of  China  has  had  a  marked  intluence 
upon  them,  as  appears  from  their  dress, 
the  architecture  of  their  dwellings,  their 
wearing  pig-tails  etc.  The  women  of  the 
Gold  tribe  have  the  peculiar  fashion  of 
wearing  a    ring    in  the    partition   of  the 


46 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


noso,  while  thos(>  of  th.e  OroclK'n,  insort  il 
thniuii-h  tlio  right  nostril.  .Most  character- 
istic are  the  fish-skin  dresses  worn  in 
sninnii-r  by  the  Golds  and  Orochens;  lor 
which  reason  they  have  b(M'n  nicknamed 
by  the  Chinese  „flsh-skinned".  All  these 
natives,  amounting  to  about  5(i.oiw).  |)i'(ih'ss 
Shamanism  (pi.  57— 68). 

The  'liliaks,  dwelling  on  the  lower 
I'caches  of  the  Amur,  and  on  the  coast  of 
the  Okhotsk  Sea,  represent  the  most  nn- 
merous  aboriginal  tribe  of  the  Par  East; 
they  live  by  hunting  and  fishing.  The  dog 
is  an  animal  w^hich  holds  an  important 
place  in  the  life  of  this  people;  in  win- 
ter they  are  employed  in  drawing  sledg- 
es,and  when  they  are  too  old  for  this, 
they  are  eaten  and  their  skins  used  for 
making  clothes.  All  the  Giliaks,  about 
l^.ixH)  in    number,  are  Shamanists. 

All    the    Siberian    native    tribes    are 
certainly  derived  from  the  interior  of  Asia. 

Archaeological   researches,  begun    in 
the    XVIII    century,     have    shewn    that 


^^ 

% 

jKi^^r'^ffi^ktii^H 

■ 

^1 

1 

it^- 

Wt 

m 

3, 

^3^^^ 

PI.  57.  Yakut  types  (phot,  by  Arnold). 


PI.  56.  Yakut  boy  from  Ol^kma  (phot,  by 
Gavrilov). 


the  ancient  tomhs,  tumuli  and  ruins  of 
towns,  starting  from  Central  Asia,  all  foil 
iiw  the  direction  of  the  Siberian  river  i 
basins,  the  natural  ways  of  communica- 
tion for  the  Asiatic  aborigenes  in  their 
march  to  Europe.  The  discovery  of  stone 
figures,  so-called  „baba's",  scattered  over 
the  Ktepi)es  of  Central  Asia  and  Novoros- 
sia.  has  further  confirmed  the  view  of 
prehistoric  migrations  from  Asia  into 
lvn'o]ic. 

The  past  history  of  these  little  known 
tribes  forms  part  of  the  general  history  of 
mankind.  If  Siberia  is  the  land  of  the  future. 
it  may   be   affirmed   with    certainty    that! 
it    contains  a  mass   of  future  discoveries | 
lor    history    and  archaeolou> . 

The  past  century  including  many  his- 
iiirical    events  con.solidating  the  Russian  I 
]Miwi'r  on  the  .\siatic  continent,  closed  with  f 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  REVIEW  OF  SIBERIA 


47 


iho  triiimph  of  the  civilisinir  mission  of 
the  Russian  government  in  the  East, 
pointini:  out  a  new  course  for  civilisation 
and  opening  new  prospects  tor  the  uni- 
versal and  historical  development  of  the 
nations. 

B.v  the  provisional  rules,  which  in 
the  beginning  of  the  XIX  centurx  were 
drawn  u|)  during  the  reign  of  the  Enijieror 
.\lexander  1.  and  comprised  a  complete 
system  of  public  instruction  for  the  Kni- 
pire,  a  university  was  to  be  founded  in 
Siberia.  The  j)roject.  after  being  abandoned 
for  half  a  century,  was  recalled  to  life  b\ 
the  E]iiipen)r  .Mexandcr  II.  who  on  the  2.'S 
.\pril  1S75,  gave  the  following  order  to 
Ad,iutant-General  Kaznakov,  former  Gover- 
nor-General of  Western  .'Liberia: 


PI.  58.  Yakut  tents  (yurtas)  in  Olekma 
(phot,  by  Arnold). 


.,By  raising  the  level  of  public  instruction,  the  popu- 
lation of  Siberia  will  be  able  to  produce  a  number  of 
educated  and  well  informed  men,  sufficient  to  satisfy  the 
local  demand.  After  a  thorough  discussion  of  the  subject, 
let  a  project  for  founding  a  university  in    Siberia    be  pre- 


Pl.  59.  Lepers  in  the  Yakutsk  territory. 


J 


4S 


GIIIDK  TO  THE  GRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


PI.  60.  Ostiak  types  (phot,  by  Poliakbv). 


sented  for   the  Imperial    Consideration    by  the    Ministry  of 
Public  Instruction. 

The  Toni.sk  iinivLT.sity,  whicli  w;is  to 
lie  the  intellectual  centre  and  promoter 
of  ciiltare  in  Asia,  was  inaiijriirated  on 
the  22  July  1888,  on  the  name-day  of  the 
l]ni|ires.s  Maria  Feodorovna,  diirinir  the 
I'eiiin  ofthe  deceased  Monarch-Paeitieator 
.Vlexander  III. 

The  recognition  that  the  rich  Siberian 
territory  with  its  man\'  needs  was  worth,\- 
of  special  attention,  and  that  numerous 
important  questions,  not  only  regardin.:; 
this  counti-y,  but  the  whole  Russian  po- 
pulation,  demanded    to    be    solved,    in    a 

great  measm-e  determined  the  construction 

of  a  railway  line  which   was   to  traverse 

Siberia  from  end  to  end. 

The  first  step  towards   the  realisation 

of   this   grand   enterprise   was   taken   by 

the  laying  of  the  fir.st  stone  at  Vladivostok 

on    the   19   May   1891    by    His     Imperial 

}ila.iesty  the  Emperor  Nicholas  H,  then  His 

Imperial  Highness  the  Tsesarevich.  In  His 

rescript  ofthe  17  March  1891,  He  decided 

the  question    regarding    the  construction 

of  the  Great  Railway,  manifesting  to  thi' 

whole  world,  by  the  active  part  He  took 
in  the  achievement  of  this  essentially 
national  work.  His  desire  to  facilitate  the 
intercourse  of  Siberia  with  other  lands 
and  to  secxire  peace  ami  prospi-rity  to 
His  beloved  country. 

The   official   acts   dated  August  26-th 

and    December    4-th    is9ti,  relative  to   the 

concession    given    to    the    Russo-Chinese 

Bank  for  the  construction  and  exploitation 

of  the  East-Chinese  Railway,  and  to    the 

stipulation  in  the  statutes  of  this  railway, 

determining  the    mode  of  construction  of 

the  eastern   section  of  the  main  Siberian 

Railway,  are  the  result  of  the  peaceful  and 

civilising  policy  of  the  Russian  Government. 

As  a  consequence  of  the  construction 

of  the    Siberian    Railway    connecting    the 

Transbaikalwitiitherssuri  territory  through 

Manchuria,     this    north-eastern     portion 

of  the  Chinese  Empire,  although  remaining 

politically    under    the   Chinese  dominion, 


PI.  61.  Ostiak  girls  (phot,  by  Poliakov). 


PI    62.  Ostiak   man   ana  woman   (i 
by  Poliak6v). 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  REVIEW  OF  SIBERIA. 


49 


economic-ally.  i.  e.  a.s  far  a.s  trade  ami 
industry  aro  concerned,  enters  into  the 
si)herc  of  the  continuous  line  of  railway. 
The  special  asrecmcnt  of  the  I.t 
March  ISOS.  come  to  in  Pekin  by  the 
dcle.irates  of  Russia  an<l  China,  accordinir 
to  which  Port-Arthur  and  Talienvan  on 
the  Liacidiin  peninsula,  with  their  respe- 
ctive territories  and  waters,  were  assigned 
to  Russia,  together  with  the  permission 
to  construct  a  branch  line,  connecting 
these  ports  with  the  Main  Siberian  Rail- 
way, is  a  fact  of  great  political  significance 
to  which  the  work  of  the  Siberian  line 
was  the  prelude.  The  openin;;:  of  the  port 
of  Talienvan  to  the  merchant  fleets  of 
all  nation.s,  leading  to  the  creation  of  new 
centres  for  trade  and  industrial  enterprise 
in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  connected  by  the 
great  Railway  with  the  civilised  trade 
centres  of  Europe,  is  surely  a  most  impor- 
tant event,  which  finds  a  fit  expression 
in  the  official  communication  of  the  17 
March  189S: 


PI.  63.  Ostiak  Prince  Taishin  cf  Oi 
(phot,  by  Poliak6v). 


PI.  64.  BuriSt  types  (phot  by  Mislov). 


50 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GKEAT  SlliElilAN    KAILWAY. 


„lt  must  be  gladly  welcomed  by  those  who  value 
the  welfare  of  the  world,  based  on  the  mutual  intercourse 
of  nations". 

L'ntil   now.  the    lit'o    of    Asia    Iblloived  a  soparatu  course.  I)cini:'  oiilx   oiil- 


wardly  connected  with  European   culture  and  civilisaticni.  and  servinu'  as  an 
object  for  European  exploitation. 


PI.  66.  Tungus  (phot,  by  Drizhenko). 


II 


GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORICAL  RKVIKW  OP  SIBERIA. 


51 


The  civilisin^s  policy  of  Russiji  in  the  East,  whicli  may  be  regarded  as 
an  exception  to  that  of  other  countries,  was  sruided  by  other  principles  and, 
as  mentioned  in  the  above  tiuotcd  communication,  was  directed  to  the  mutual 
welfare  ut'  nations  by  the  maintenance  of  peace  throughout  the  immense 
extent  of  her  dominions.  The  honour  of  ha-\-ing  planted  the  flag  of  Chi'istiani- 
ty  and    civilisation  in  Asia,  is  due  to  Russia.  The  near  future  will  show  the 


PI.  67.  OrochSns  in  the  Transbaikdl. 


results  iif  the  activity  ef  our  Government  and  of 
wiiich  will  adil  to  the  glory  and  ])Ower  of  Russia 


mu-   civilising   enterprises, 
and  her  Sovereign  Chief. 


PI.  68.  Golds'  (phot,  by  Mazkivich). 


The  official  communication  published  on  the  t3-th  May  1899,  removed  trom 
Siberia  the  shameful  stain  attached  to  it  as  a  place  of  exile,  by  putting  it  on 
the  same  footing  with  all  other  countries  of  the  Empire,  as  regards  social 
life  and  the  struggle  for  civilisation. 

The  deliverance  of  Siberia  from  the  sad  lot  of  affording  a  refuge  to  the 
worthless  elements  of  the  Empire,  was  the  logical  result  of  that  work  of  civi- 
lisation which,  giving  social  capacity  and  competency  to  that  country,  thereby 

4a 


52 


GUIDE  TO  THE  C.RP:aT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


PI.  69.  Monumen    to  N.  M.  PrzewSlski  on  the  shore  of  lake 
Issyk-Kul  in  Semirichie. 


strengthened  its  position  as  mediator  in  tlie  great  mission  of  Russia  in  the 
East  for  the  introduction  of  tlie  principles  of  Christian  civilisation  into  Asia- 
tic life. 


THE     LATE 

^MPEROR    Alexandf:r    111, 

ysAR    Pacificator. 
JVIosT  y^uGusT   Founder  of  the  pREAT  Siberian  j^ailway. 


The  construction  of  the  Great 

Siberian  Railway. 


Historical  review  of  the  plan  for  the 
construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway. — 
uration  of  the  work  at  Vladivo- 
—  Organisation  of  the  Committee 
e  construction  of  the  Siberian 
ay. — Topographical  and  technical 
conditions  of  the  Great  Siberian  Rail- 
way.—  Cost  of  construction.  —  Subsi- 
diary enterprises. — The  importance  of 
the  Great  Railway  in  connexion  with 
civilisation  and  trade. 


he  annexation  of  the  vast  Amur, 
Littoral  and  Ussiiri  provinces  to 
the  Siberian  territory  by  the  treaty 
of  Pekin  wa.s  effected  at  the  time 
when  the  internal  renovation  of 
Empire  by  the  reforms  of  the  Tsar  Liberator  excited  the  interest  of  the 
Russian  Government,  society  and  foreigners. who  clearly  foresaw  the  future 
which  lay  in  store  for  this  new  acquisition  of  Russia  in  the  East. 

The  construction  of  new  ways  of  communication  in  Siberia,  and  the  con- 
nexion by  rail  of  its  different  centres  of  population  in  view  of  strategical  and 
commercial  considerations,  together  with  the  building  of  a  njain  railway  line 
from  Moscow  or  the  Volga  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  were  projected  at  that  time. 
.Ml  these  schemes  were  based  solely  on  conjectures  without  any  prelim- 
inary surveys  or  calculations  as  to  the  needs  and  trading  possibilities  of 
the  districts  affected  and  remained  without  any  practical  result.  In  was  at  the 
end  of  the  sixties  that  three  routes  for  the  Siberian  Railway,  suggested  by 
private  individuals  and  supported  by  the  petitions  of  Russian  and  Siberian 
merchants,  seemed  feasible. 

These  projected  lines,  which  were  frequently  the   subject  of  discussion 
in  scientific  societies  and  in  the  press,  were  as  follows: 

1)  The  northern  project  of  Messrs.  Rashel.  Kokorev  and  Co.    from  Perm, 
through  Xizhni-Tagil  and  Ekaterinburg  to  Tiumen,  with  a  branch  line  to  Irbit. 


54  GriDE  TO  THE  GKEAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

2)  The  central  i)roject  of  Mr.  Liiil)inii)v,  from  Perm,  through  Kungi'ir. 
Ekatorinburg.  Shach-insk  to  the  vilhige  of  Belozersk  on  the  river  Toliol, 
49  versts  north  of  Kurgan. 

3)  The  southern  project  of  Mv.  Bogdanovich.  frnm  the  village  of  Ershov 
(Sarapul  district),  through  Ekaterinburg  to  Tiunien. 

Upon  further  deliberation,  the  special  c(iiinuis,sion  organised  in  the  Ural, 
and  entrusted  with  the  selection  of  the  most  suitable  direction  for  the  i-oute. 
in  order  to  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the  Unil  mining  industry  and  the 
Siberian  transport  trade,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  these  two  interests 
were  incompatible. 

The  preference  aftenvards  given  to  the  Ural  scheme  for  some  time  put 
the  idea  of  the  Siberian  Railway  in  the  background.  The  Government  surveys 
conducted  during  1872—1874  followed  three  directions: 

1)  Kineshma.  Viatka,  Perm,,  Ekaterinburg,  Tinmen. 

2)  Nizhni-Novgorod,  Kazan,  Krasnoufimsk,  Ekaterinburg,  Tiumen. 

3)  Alatyr.  Ufa,  Cheliabinsk. 

The  first  direction  was  based  on  the  northern  project  of  Mr.  Rashetmnre 
extensively  developed;  the  second  was  taken  from  the  southern  project  of 
Mr.  Bogdanovich,  while  the  third,  which  was  quite  new  and  more  to  the 
south,  leaving  out  the  greater  portion  of  the  Ural,  aimed  at  satisfying  the 
requirements  of  Siberian  and  Central  Asiatic  trade. 

Upon  further  deliberation,  the  Committee  of  Ministers  deemed  that  of 
these  three  routes  two  only  were  worthy  of  consideration,  while  giving 
preference  to  the  southern  direction,  as  uniting  existing  railways  with  the 
Unil  for  further  continuation  to  Siberia,  and  on  account  of  its  coincidence 
with  the  general  direction  adopted  by  the  transport  trade  for  many  years 
past. 

On  the  19-th  December  187.5.  the  route  selected  by  the  Committee  of  Mini- 
sters was  sanctioned  by  the  Emperor:  the  execution  of  this  jiroject  was, 
however,  postponed  by  political  complications  and  by  the  war  in  the  East 
during  1877—1878. 

Meanwhile  the  direction  of  the  Siberian  main  road  was  still  under  dis- 
cussion, the  railways  within  European  Russia  were  receiving  a  considerable 
extension,  connecting  the  future  commercial  centres  of  Silieria  with  the 
metropolis.  The  railway  line  reached  Orenburg  in  1877,  and  in  l87Sthe  mining 
railway,  uniting  Perm  and  Ekaterinburg,  was  open  to  traffic.  The  construction 
of  the  great  bridge  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  II  over  the  Volga,  was  com- 
pleted in  1880  and  thus  an  uninterruiited  line  of  railway  connected  the  gene- 
ral railway  system  of  Euroiiean  Russia  with  Orenburg,  constituting  the  en- 
trance to  her  Central  Asiatic  dominions. 

The  opening  of  the  traJTic  on  the  Ural  mining  line  fioiu  Perm  to  Eka- 
terinburg formed  the  motive  for  the  humble  petition  of  the  Nizhni-Novgorod 
merchants  laid  before  His  Imperial  Majesty  in  1880.  jiraying  for  the  construc- 
tion of  a  railway  branch  of  30o  versts  from  Kkatei-inbiirg  to  Tinmen  to 
connect  the  basins  of  the  Ob  and  Volga. 

The  petiti(m  was  handed  by  order  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  II  to  the 
Committee  of  I^Iinistcrs  in  order  to  find  the  necessary  means  for  the  con- 
struction of  this  branch. 

According  to  the  resolution  of  the  Committee  of  Ministcis  of  the  23  Sep- 
tember 1880,  the  immediate  con.struction  of  the  Ekateriubiirg-TiiiUK'n  line 
was  to  be  effected  at  the  cost  of  the  Government. 


THE  COXSTRUCTIOX  OF  THK  GREAT  smERIAX  UAILWAY. 


55 


The  execution  of  this  project,  together  with  the  further  extension  of  Rus- 
sian railways  towards  the  East,  as  also  the  results  of  additional  surveys, 
shewed  the  advisability  of  changing  the  direction  chosen  in  1S7.')  for  the 
Siberian  main  line. 


Actual  Pri/y  Councillor  N.  K.  Bunge.  eit-Presiaent  of  the  Committee  of  Ministers, 
and   first  Vice-President  of  the  Committee  for  the  Siberian  Railway.* 


In  1882.  after  the  project  of  187,5  had  been  reexamined,  the  Minister  of 
Ways  of  Communication,  by  order  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  was  directed  to 
present  a  new  scheme  to  the  Committee  of  Ministers  as  regards  the  route  of 
the  Siberian  Railway. 

This  was  accordingly  done  in  the  year  1884  by  Adjutant-General  Possi^t. 
According  to  this  plan  and  the  technical  and  economic  considerations  upon 
which  it  was  based,  the  southern  route  was  to  give  place  to  the  following 
lines: 

II  Xizhni-Xovgorod,  Kazan,  the  Xikolo-Beriozov  wharf.  Ekaterinburg, 
Tiunien. 

2)  Samara,  Ufa.  Krasnoufimsk.  Ekaterinburg.  Tinmen. 

3)  Samara,  Ufa.  Zlatoiist.  Cheliahinsk. 


5(i  GriDE  TO  THK  ORKAT  SIHERIAN  RAILWAY. 

[n  accordance  with  the  order  of  the  Committee  of  Ministers,  sanctioned 
by  the  Kmporor  on  the  6  January  1885,  the  selection  of  the  route  tiirough 
Siberia  was  deemed  premature  on  account  of  tiio  want  of  tiie  necessary 
data;  at  the  same  time,  the  construction  of  a  line  beginnina;  at  the  point 
where  the  Orenburg  railway  crosses  the  river  Kinel,  and  thence  passing 
through  Ufa  and  Zlatoust  along  tlie  eastern  slope  of  the  Ural,  to  meet  at  some 
point  the  Ekaterinbiirg-Tiiimen  line  then  in  process  of  construction,  was  de- 
cided upon  as  a  first  step.  The  continuation  of  this  line  to  Cheliabinsk  would 
have  once  for  all  determined  the  direction  of  the  future  route  through 
Siberia. 

After  a  final  investigation  of  the  Sanuira-Zlatoust  line,  the  work  of  con- 
struction, begun  in  the  spring  of  1886.  was  brought  to  a  conclusion  and  the 
line  opened  to  passenger  and  goods  traffic  in  1888.  The  total  cost  of  tiiis 
line,  453.19  versts  long,  was  R.,  24,122,252,  or  R.  53,227.3  per  verst. 

The  final  surveys  for  the  UfA-Zlatoust  line  were  made  during  1886 — 1887; 
the  construction  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  1888,  and  the  line  was  opened 
to  regular  traffic  in  ISfeO.  The  total  cost  of  construction  of  the  298.(58  versts, 
was  R.  20,439.481,  or  R.  68,432  per  verst. 

Meanwhile,  the  projects  regarding  the  direction  of  the  Siberian  main  line 
in  connexion  with  the  future  economical  progress  of  the  country,  were  dis- 
cussed in  the  highest  administrative  spheres.  The  Siberian  Governors-General, 
Baron  Korf  and  Count  Ignatiev,  tried  to  prove  the  necessity  of  providing  for 
the  needs  of  Russia's  eastern  possessions. 

On  a  report  drawn  up  in  1885—1886  by  Count  Ignatiev,  then  Vice  Gover- 
nor-General, the  late  Tsar-Pacificator,  who  was  always  anxious  to  fui-ther 
Siberian  interests,  traced  with  his  ewn  hand  the  follo\ving  resolution,  whicli 
so  greatly  influenced  the  decision  of  the  question: 

„1  have  read  many  reports  of  the  Governors-General 
of  Siberia  and  must  own  with  grief  and  shame  that  until 
now  the  Government  has  done  scarcely  anything  towards 
satisfying  the  needs  of  this  rich,  but  neglected  country!  It 
is  time,  high  time!" 

The  petitions  of  Count  Ignatiev  and  Baron  Korf  presented  at  the  end  of 
1886,  for  the  construction  of  a  railway-line  from  Tomsk  to  Irkutsk,  and  from 
the  Baikal  to  Sretensk,  uniting  by  means  of  the  Amur  the  West  and  East 
Siberian  navigation  systems,  together  with  the  plan  for  connecting  by  rail 
Vladivostok  and  the  post  of  Busse.  were  submited  by  Imperial  command  to  a 
special  Conference  ot'Ministers  under  the  presidentship  of  Actual  Privy  Coun- 
cillor Abaza. 

As  a  result  of  this  Conlerence,  a  Special  Commission  was  directed  to 
make  surveys  along  the  Mid-Siberian,  Transbaikal  and  South-Ussuri  lines. 
His  Imperial  Majesty  wrote  the  following  deci.sion  on  the  report  of  the 
Minister  of  Ways  of  Communication  presented  to  him  on  the  12  June  1887, 
in  consequence  of  the  <lata  obtained  by  the  Conference  and  from  the  surveys 
made: 

„Quite  right.  I  hope  the  Ministry  will  practically  prove 
the  possibility  of  the  quick,  and  cheap  construction  of  the  line". 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OK  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


57 


Minister ol'NN'ays  ol" 
and   td   I  lie  Survey 


This  note  of  the  Emiioror's  was  made  known  Ij.v  tlio 
(  omnuinication  to  the  Board  of  Government  Railways 
Commissions. 

The  HmpeiMi-  siii'wcd  a  special    interest  in  the   execution  of  the  surveys, 
which  were  carried  on  most  successfully.  Frequent   reports    as  to    their  pro- 


Actual  Privy  Councillor  1.  N.   Durnovd,  President  of  the  Committee  of  Ministers. 

gress  were  presented  to    His  Majesty    by   the    Minister   of  Ways  of  Commu- 
nication. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  events  which  occurred  in  the  countries  adjoining 
the  Far  Fast:  the  opening  of  the  Canadian  Railway,  the  subsidies  given  by 
the  English  Government  to  the  Canada-China  steamers,  the  introduction  of 
the  telegraph  in  China  and  the  building  of  Chinese  steamers  ff)r  the  naviga- 


58  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBEKIAN   RAILWAY. 

tion  of  the  rivors  Sunji-ari  and  Amur,  together  with  other  preparations  of  the 
Chinese  Government  in  connexion  with  the  organisation  of  its  military  forces, 
excited  the  special  attention  of  the  Amur  Governor-General,  Baron  Kerf,  cau- 
sing him  to  maintain  the  opinion,  expressed  by  him  in  1S87,  at  the  time  of 
the  beginning  of  the  surveys,  of  the  necessity  of  quickly  establishing  rail- 
way connexion  between  Vladivostok  and  the  Ussiiri  in  view  of  strategical 
considerations. 

The  necessity  of  uniting  Vladivostok  and  the  Amur  basin  by  rail  was 
made  evident  in  1875  by  a  Commission  presided  over  by  His  Imperial  High- 
ness the  Grand  Duke  Alexis  Alexandrovich.  Without  such  facilities,  our  most 
important  port  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  remained  cut  off  from  the  interior  of  the 
country  and  lost  much  of  its  significance.  By  resolution  of  the  Committee  of 
Ministers,  sanctioned  by  the  Emperor  on  the  29  November  1887.  the  Minis- 
ter of  Ways  of  Communicatipn  was  desired  to  make  arrangements  for  car- 
rying out  immediately  the  necessary  financial  and  technical  investigations, 
and  to  proceed  to  the  construction  of  the  above  mentioned  line,  excepting  it 
from  the  general  plan  of  the  projected  Siberian  railways. 

Various  requirements  of  the  Government  engrossing  the  attention  of  the 
administration,  for  some  time  delayed  the  realisation  of  the  projected  rail- 
way in  Siberia. 

The  ])roposal  of  State  Secretary  von  Hubbenet,  Minister  of  Ways  of  Com- 
munication, relative  to  the  construction  of  the  Ussuri  line  founded  on  Baron 
Korf's  peition,  and  by  Adjutant-General  Vannovsky,  Minister  of  \\m\  was 
laid  before  the  Committee  of  Ministers  on  the  8  May  1890.  but  as  the  neces- 
sary sums  for  its  execution  were  not  assigned,  the  Committee,  in  accordance 
mth  the  Imperial  command  of  the  2  June  1890,  decided  to  continue  only  the 
Ufa-Zlatoust  line  to  Mias.  The  Board  of  Governmeni  Railways  was  entrusted 
with  the  execution  of  this  project. 

In  consequence  of  a  report  presented  to  the  Emperor  by  the  Acting  Mi- 
nister of  Ways  of  Communication  on  the  12-th  July  1890,  based  on  fresh 
information  received  fi'om  Baron  Korf,  demonstrating  the  m'gent  iieQessity  for 
the  construction  of  the  Ussiiri  line.  His  Imperial  Majesty  made  the  follo- 
wing inscription: 

,.  Necessary  to  proceed    at  once  to  the  construction  of 
this  line". 

As  the  result  of  this  decision  and  in  accordance  with  the  Imperial  desire 
made  known  on  the  16-th  August,  the  plan  of  the  Ussiiri  line  was  added  to 
the  general  plan  and  sulmiitted  to  the  consideration  of  a  special  council,  and 
thence  to  the  Committee  of  Ministers.  The  means  and  conditions  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  Siberian  Railway,  and  the  detailed  note  presented  on  the  i 
15-th  November  1890  by  State  Secretary  von  Hubbenet  as  to  the  points  of 
junction  of  the  Siberian  line  with  the  lines  of  European  Russia,  and  the 
course  of  construction  of  the  Sib(M'ian  Railway,  were  made  the  subject  of  a 
special  conference  held  under  the  presidentship  of  Actual  Privy  Councillor 
Abazd. 

Taking  the  extension  of  Russian  railways  towards  the  East  into  consider- 
ation, -with  their  termini.  Tinmen  on  the  Ural  line,  Orcnbitrg  on  the  Oren- 
biirg  line  and  Mi:is  on  the  Zlatoiist-Mias.  State  Secretary  von  Hubbenet  de- 
monstrated the  economic  imiuirtance  of  continuing  the  communication   from 


t\ 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


59 


these  points  into  the  interior  of  Siberia,  and  presented  the  specifications  for 
their  construction. 

The  considerations  set  forth  in  the  report  of  State  Secretary  Hubbenot 
had  a  decisive  effect  upon  the  choice  of  the  direction  for  the  great  Siberian 
Railway,  and  therfore  merit  a  place  in  the  history  of  the  question.  They  were, 

II  Besrinning  at  Tiumen,  the  line  was  planned  through  Yalutorovsk: 
Tiukalinsk.  Kainsk,  avoiding  Tomsk  to  Mariinsk,';  andT  thence  to  Achinsk, 
Krasnoyarsk.  Kansk  and  Xizhneiidinsk,  with  a  total  length  of  2.474  versts  from 
Tiumen  to  Xizhneiidinsk. 


■\ 


^ 


Actual  Privy  Councillor  State  Secretary  S.  I.  Witte,  Minister  of  Finance. 


In  order  to  preserve  the  commercial  importance  of  this  line,  it  would  be 
necessarj-  to  construct  an  expensive  railway,  connecting  Perm  and  Xizhni- 
Novgorod.  1000  versts  in  length,  running  parallel  to  the  existing  water-way. 

A  railwiiy  line  of  3.474  versts  reaching  Xizhneiidinsk  would  have  been 
necessary  for  the  same  object,  lea^■ing  Moscow  at  a  distance  of  4,656  versts. 


60  GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

2")  Prom  Orenburg  the  line  was  to  pass  by  way  of  Orsk.  Atbasar.  Akmo- 
linsk,  Pavlodar.  Biisk.  Minusinsk,  and  Xizlineudinsk,  in  its  eastern  portion 
crossing  the  Altai  mountains;  this  route  would  be  very  expensive  and  have 
a  length  of  3,400  versts,  running  a  total  distance  of  4,820  vcrsts  from  Moscow 
to  Nizneudinsk. 

3)  Starting  at  Mias,  2,683  versts  from  Nizhneudinsk.  the  road  traversed 
the  most  populated  localities  of  Western  Siberia,  following  the  fertile  l)lack- 
earth  zone  and  having  a  total  length  pf  4,551  versts  from  Moscow  to  Nizhne- 
udinsk. Thus  the  line  beginning  at  Mias  was  791  versts  shorter  than  that 
from  Tiumen;  beginning  at  Orenburg  it  was  reduced  by  717  versts,  while 
from  Moscow  to  Miiis  works,  it  was  to  be  105  versts  shorter  than  the  northern 
route,  andT269  versts  less  than  the  southern  line. 

According  to  the  estimates,  the  cost  of  the  Mias  line  would  be  less  than 
the  others;  thus  it  became  evident  that  the  continuation  of  the  Samara-.Zla- 
toust  line  passing  through  Cheli^binsk,  Kurgan  and  further  east  was  the 
m.ost  advantageous. 

As  regards  the  course  of  the  work,  State  Secretary  von  Hubbenet  [referred 
to  the  note  of  the  Minister  of  Finance,  which  'was  laid  before  the  Council, 
where  Privy  Councillor  Vyshnegradsky,  comparing  the  respective  importance 
of  the  diferent  sections  of  the  Siberian  Railway,  gave  his  view  of  the  com- 
mercial importance  and  the  future  progress  of  Siberia. 

According  to  the  plan  of  Privy  Councillor  Vyshnegradsky,  the  constru- 
ction of  the  Siberian  Railway  was  not  to  aim  solely  at  the  opening  of  new 
Siberian  markets  for  the  products  of  European  Russia,  but  also  to  assure 
the  regular  economic  development  of  Siberia,  thus  placing  this  vast  and 
rich,  but  hitherto  inaccessible  country,  on  a  level  with  European  Russia. 

Siberia's  growth  and  prosperity  depended  solely  on  a  close  economic 
Intercourse  with  European  Russia  which  in  its  return  would  find  there  new 
sources  of  progress  and  wealth. 

The  Minister  of  Finance  was  further  of  opinion  that  it  would  not  be 
expedient  to  commence  the  Siberian  Railway  by  the  construction  of  the  Us- 
siiri  line.  According  to  his  view,  this  line  did  not  possess  any  great  economic 
or  strategic  importance,  but  merely  established  communication  between  Vla- 
divostok and  the  Ussuri  river.  To  begin  operations  from  the  west  would  be 
much  more  to  the  purpose.  Traversing  a  more  denseb'  populated  country,  the 
new  line  would  yield  a  certain  revenue  and  at  the  same  time  increase  eco- 
nomic intercourse  with  European  Russia,  and  secure  the  more  rapid  conveyanci^ 
of  reserve  troops  to  Eastern  Siberia,  serving  at  the  same  time  the  interests 
of  the  Russian  population  of  Siberia  settled  between  the  Ural  and  the  Baikal. 

.\lthough  holding  the  same  opinion  as  to  the  economic  imi)ortance  of 
the  Siberian  main  line.  State  Secretary  von  Hubbenet,  referring  to  its  poli- 
tical and  strategical  significance,  urged  by  the  Ministers  of  War  and  Foreign 
Affairs,  attached  great  importance  to  the  Ussuri  line  and  insisted  on  the  ne- 
cessity of  its  construction,  as  previously  decided  by  the  Committee  of  Minis- 
ters and  sanctioned  by  the  Emperor  on  the  29-th  November  1887. 

The  special  conference,  leaving  the  decision  as  to  the  construction  of  new 
railways  to  the  Committee  of  Ministers,  only  discussed  the  sum  which,  accor- 
ding to  the  estimate  for  the  extraordinary  expenditure  of  1891,  could  be  as- 
signed for  commencing  the  construction  of  the  new  railways. 

Having  received  the  Imperial  authorisation  to  carry  into  effect  the  reso- 
lution of  the  special  conference.  State  Secretary   von   Hubbenet,  on  the   4-th 


Actual  Privy  Councillor  Prince  M.  I.  KhilkAv,  Minister  of  Ways  of  Communication. 


(52  GlIUIO  TO  THK  GRliAT  SIBKUIAN    KAILWAY. 

February  1891.  proposed  to  the  Committee  of  Ministers  to  commence  the 
construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway  by  the  Mias-Cheliubinsk  line,  a  distance 
of  94  versts,  and  the  Ussuri  line  running  from  Vladivostok  to  Grafskaya,  fa 
distance  of  293  versts,  in  connexion  with  the  surveys  conducted  from  Che- 
liAbinsk  to  a  point  on  the  Mid-Siberian  section,  and  from  the  Grafskaya  sta- 
tion to  Khabarovsk. 

The  Committee  of  ^tlinisters,  havinij  taken  the  jiroject  of  the  Minister  of 
Ways  of  Communication  into  consideration,  issued  the  following  order  sanc- 
tioned by  the  Emperor  on  the  15  and  21  February  1891:  1)  ^To  approve  th(! 
direction  of  the  Ussuri  line  from  Vladivostok  to  Grafskaya  station;  2)  To  com- 
mence the  construction  of  the  Mias-Cheliabinsk  line  in  1891:  .3)  To  conduct 
surveys  in  the  same  year,  from  Cheliabinsk  to  Tomsk  or  some  other  point  of 
the  Mid-Silierian  section,  and  from  the  terminus  of  the  first  section  of  the 
UssiirL  line  to  I\habarovsk;  4)  To  carry  out  these  works  under  the  direction 
of  the  State;  .5)  The  Minister  of  Ways  of  Communication  to  receive  the  sanc- 
tion of  the  State  Council  for  the  necessary  expenditure. 

The  Imperial  Rescript  addressed  to  His  Imperial  Highness  the  Grand 
Duke  Tsesarevich  on  the  17-th  ^larsh  1891,  finally  and  irrevocably  decided 
the  question  of  the  construction  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railroad. 

This  memorable  document  was  made  known  by  His  Imperial  Highness 
upon  his  again  treading  Russian  soil  at  Vladivostok,  on  the  14-th  May  1891, 
on  his  Avay  back  from  the  Far  East. 

Your  Imperial   Highness! 

„Having  given  the  order  to  build  a  continuous  line  of 
railway  across  Siberia,  which  is  to  unite  the  rich  Siberian 
provinces  with  the  railway  system  of  the  Interior,  I  entrust 
to  you  to  declare  My  will,  upon  your  entering  the  Rus- 
sian dominions  after  your  inspection  of  the  foreign  coun- 
tries of  the  East.  At  the  same  time,  I  desire  you  to  lay 
the  first  stone  at  Vladivostok  for  the  construction  of  the 
Ussuri  line,  forming  part  of  the  Siberian  Railway,  which 
is  to  be  carried  out  at  the  cost  of  the  State  and  under 
direction  of  the  Government.  Your  participation  in  the 
achievement  of  this  work  will  be  a  testimony  to  My  ardent 
desire  to  facilitate  the  communications  between  Siberia  and 
the  other  countries  of  the  Empire,  and  to  manifest  My 
extreme  anxiety  to  secure  the  peaceful  prosperity  of  this 
Country". 

1  remain  your  sincerely  loving 

ALEXANDER. 

The  question  of  the  construction  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  which 
for  a  third  of  a  century  had  occu])ied  the  attention  of   the   Gov(>rnment   and 


THE  CONSTRIXTIOX  OF  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN'  RAH, WAY. 


68 


society,  was  now  setiled.  representing  the  most  important  event  of  tlie  cent- 
ury, not  only  in  our  country,  but  in  the  whole  world. 

On  the  19-th  May.  at  Vladivostok.  His  Imperial  Highness  the  Grand  Duke 
Tsesaivvich.  witli  his  own  hands  tilled  a  wheelbarrow  with  earth  and  emptied 
it  on  the  embankment  of  the  future  L'ssuri  line,  and  then  laid  the  first  stone 
for  the  construction  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railwav. 


Actual  Privy  Councillor  State  Secretary  Kulomzfn,  Secretary  to  the  Committee  of  Ministers 
and  to  the  Siberian  Railway  Committee. 

In  the  same  year,  surve.vs  were  carried  out  from  west  and  east,  the  re- 
sults of  which  made  it  possible  to  establish  the  course  to  be  pursued  in  the 
Great  Work,  which  M-ere  the  subject  of  jireliminary  discussion  l)y  the  speci- 
al conference  on  the  21  November  lSV)2.Tiie  following  points,  included  in  a  note 
by  State  Secretary  W'itte.  the  Minister  of  Finance,  were  submitted  to  this 
conference: 

1)  Determination  of  the  order  of  construction. 


64  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

2)  Means  for  theconstrui'tion  of  the  Siberian  line. 

3)  Successive  construction  of  sections  in  connexion  witli  sulisidiary  en- 
terprises. 

4)  Organisation  of  tlie  Committee  for  the  Silierian  Railway. 

The  resolution  of  the  Committee,  based  on  the  opinion  of  State  Secretary 
Witte.  and  sanctioned  by  the  Emperor  at  Giltchino  on  the  10  December  1892, 
included  the  following  points: 

I)  The  division  of  the  work  into  three  parts:  the  first  comprising  the  con- 
struction of  the  West-Siberian  line,  from  Cheliabinsk  to  the  river  Ob,  a  di- 
stance of  1.S28  versts;  the  Mid-Siberian  line,  from  the  river  Ob  to  Irkutsk, 
1754  versts,  and  the  termination  of  the  Vladivostok-Grafskaya  line,  as  well  as 
the  construction  of  the  branch  line  (uniting  the  Ural  mining  line  and  the 
Siberian  Railway),  the  necessity  of  the  last  being  urged  by  the  Miuistei'  of 
Agriculture  and  Imperial  Domains. 

The  second  part  included  the  construction  of  the  Grafskaya-Khabarovsk 
line,  347  versts,  and  that  of  Mysovaya  along  the  shore  of  the  Baikal  to  Sre- 
tensk,  1000  versts.  The  tliird  comprised  the  line  running  round  the  Baikal. 
292  versts,  and  the  section  from  Sretensk  to  Khal)arovsk  of  about  2000  versts. 

The  following  dates  were  fi.\ed  for  the  termination  of  the  works:  the  sec- 
tions from  Cheliabinsk  to  the  Ob,  and  from  thence  to  Krasnoyarsk,  20.59  versts. 
were  to  be  tinished  in  1896;  the  Krasnoyarsk — Irkutsk  section  of  1023  versts, 
in  1900;  the  branch  line  to  Ekaterinburg,  in  1894;  the  section  from  Vladivostok 
to  Grafskaya,  in  1894—95.  At  the  same  time  it  was  proposed  to  devohipe  sub- 
sidiary enterprises,  such  as  the  colonisation  of  the  fertile  West-Siberian  di- 
stricts in  connexion  with  the  progress  of  peasant  emigration,  the  extension 
of  water  communications,  and  the  growth  of  some  branches  of  mining  industry. 

II)  The  Acting  Minister  of  Ways  of  Communication  was  requested  to 
present  without  delay  to  the  Committee  of  Ministers  and  to  the  State  Coun- 
cil for  their  confirmation,  the  direction  and  estimates  of  the  lines  to  be  first 
constructed. 

III)  A  sum  of  R.  150,000,000  was  appropriated  for  the  construction  of  the 
Siberian  Railway,  including  fromR.  14,000,000  to  R.  22,000,000  for  subsidiary  objects. 

IV)  It  was  decided  to  organise  a  special  Committee,  to  be  styled  the  Sibe- 
rian Railway  Committee  under  the  presidentship  of  a  person  ap|)ointed  by 
the  Emperor. 

On  the  14-th  January  1893,  His  Imperial  Highness  tlie  Grand  Dulce  Tse- 
sarevich,  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II,  by  a  rescript  of  His  Imperial  Fath- 
er was  ap])ointed  President  of  the  Committee.  On  the  15-th  January  189.3, 
Actual  Privy  C(uincillor  Bunge  was  named  Vice-President;  the  management 
of  the  business  of  the  Committee  was  entrusted  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Ministers  and  the  exiiediti<ui  of  Inisiness  was  concentrated  in  the 
Chancery  of  that  Committee. 

At  its  first  meeting  on  the  10-th  Fel)ruary  1S93,  His  Imperial  Highness 
the  Grand  Duke  Tsesarevich  addressed  the  following  words  to  the  members 


01 


the  Committee: 


,,In  opening  the  first  meeting  of  the  Committee  for  the 
construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway,  I  contemplate  with 
emotion  the  grandeur  of  the  task  before  us.  But  love  of 
my  country  and  an  ardent  desire  to  contribute  to  its  wel- 


THK  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY.  65 

fare,  have  induced  me  to  accept  the  commission  from 
my  beloved  Father.  I  am  convinced  that  you  are  ani- 
mated by  the  same  feelings,  and  that  our  joint  efforts  will 
bring  us  to  the  desired  end". 

The  composition  of  the  Committee  was  decided  at  this  meeting,  as  fol- 
lows: the  President  and  the  Vice-President  appointed  by  the  Emperor,  the 
Ministers  of  the  Interior,  Finance.  \\'ar.  Asrriculture  and  State  Domains,  Ways 
of  rommunication  and  the  State  roniiitroller". 

Tlie  Ciimniittee  was  entrusted  with  tlie  directiim  nl'thr  cDnstnictiun  of 
the  Siberian  line  and  with  the  ancillary  works  connected  therewitii.  while 
the  executive  power  was  left  to  the  Ministers.  Matters  of  legislation  laid 
before  the  Emperor,  were  subject  to  the  juridiction  of  the  joint  Session  of 
the  Members  of  the  Committee  and  of  the  Deiiartment  of  the  State  Council. 
This  rcsidution  was  sanctioned  l)y  Imperial  ukaz  given  to  the  Senate  on  the 
24  th  February  1S9.H. 

The  execution  of  the  construction  of  tliu  Siberian  Railway  was  at  first 
entrusted  to  the  Board  of  State  Railways  but,  upon  the  further  development 
of  operations,  a  special  board  for  the  construction  of  this  Railway  was  orga- 
nised, according  to  the  Imperial  command  of  tlie  5-th  June  1893,  in  the  Central 
Administration  of  the  Ministry  of  \\'ays  of  Conmiunication  in  which,  under 
the  chief  direction  of  the  Minister,  was  concentrated  the  e.xecutive  power 
for  the  construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway. 

The  Central  Administration  of  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  Communication  was 
reorganised  on  the  1  July  1899,  and  the  special  Board  for  the  construction 
of  the  Siberian  Railwa.\-  included  in  the  general  Administration  for  the  con- 
struction of  all  the  Russians  Railways  in  the  Emqire. 

Since  the  institution  of  this  Committee,  all  the  affairs  regarding  the 
construction  of  the  Siberian  Raihvay  and  the  organisation  of  the  auxiliary 
works,  were  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  the  Committee,  whose  reso- 
lutions together  with  those  of  the  Hepartment  of  State  Economy  nf  tlie  State 
Council,  reipiired  the  direct  sanction  of  the  Emperor. 

After  the  decease  of  his  Imi)erial  Father,  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas 
Aiexandrovich  retained  the  post  of  President  of  the  Committee  of  the  Sibe- 
rian Railway. 

At  the  meeting  held  on  the  3i)-th  .\'oveml)er  1S94,  which  was  the  first 
after  his  ascension  to  the  throne.  His  Imperial  Majesty  addressed  the  follow- 
ing memoralile  words  to  the  members  of  the  Committee  and  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  State  Economy: 

„Gentlemen!  To  have  begun  the  construction  of  the 
railway  line  across  Siberia  is  one  of  the  greatest  achieve- 
ments of  the  glorious  reign  of  my  never  to  be  forgotten 
Father.  The  fulfilment  of  this  essentially  peaceful  work, 
entrusted  to  me  by  my  beloved  Father,  is  my  sacred  duty  and 
my  sincere  desire.  With  your  assistance,  1  hope  to  complete 
the  construction  of  the  Siberian  line,  and  to  have  it  done 
cheaply  and,  most  important  of  all,  quickly  and  solidly." 


66  GUIDE  TO  THIO  GKKAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 

After  having  heard  the  gracious  words  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the 
Vice-President  of  the  Committee.  Actual  Privy  Councillor  Bunge  expressed 
as  follows  the  loyal  feelings  of  all  the  members: 

„We  are  most  happy  that  in  accordance  with  Your  Imjie rial  Majes- 
ty's desire,  the  work  of  construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway  will  remain 
under  Your  Majesty's  immediate  direction.  At  the  time  of  Your  visit  tn 
distant  lands.  Your  Majesty  took  the  first  step  at  Vladivostok  towards  the 
execution  of  the  Siberian  Railway.  Upon  Your  Majesty's  return,  You  were 
appointed  President  of  the  Committee  for  the  construction  of  the  Siberian 
line  by  the  late  Emperor,  Who  thus  assured  the  fulfilment  of  the  task  en- 
trusted to  the  Committee,  which  always  was  the  object  of  Your  constant 
endeavour.  At  present.  Your  Majesty  having  desired  to  retain  the  direction 
of  this  vast  enterprise,  which  is  to  connect  European  Russia  with  the  shore 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  we  are  convinced  that  this  grand  work  bequeathed  to 
Your  Majesty  by  Your  Imperial  Father,  will  be  brought  to  a  successful  end 
and  constitute  the  glory  of  the  late  and  jjresent  reigns". 

Strictly  following  the  plan  set  by  the  Emperor  Pacificator,  the  Committee 
always  endeavoured  to  satisfy  as  far  as  possible  the  various  requirements 
attached  to  the  e.xecution  of  the  grand  work  in  Asia. 

The  acti\ity  of  the  Committee,  directed  towards  the  moral  and  material 
renewal  and  (|uickening  of  the  productive  forces  of  Siberia  and  towards  the 
extension  of  tiie  influence  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway  over  the  culture 
and  the  economic  life  of  the  East,  comprised: 

1)  The  construction  of  the  Siberian  main  line  and  of  other  rwutes  in 
accordance  with  the  interests  of  the  East  and  with  the  development  of  com- 
mercial intercourse. 

2)  The  arrangements  for  the  general  economic  welfare  of  Siberia  ami 
for  the  revival  of  its  commercial  intercourse  with  the  Asiatic  Continent. 

3)  The  settlement  of  the  country  within  the  range  of  the  Siberian  lint', 
and  the  regulation  of  the  emigration  movement  to  the  East. 

The  Siberian  main  line,  from  Cheliabinsk  to  Stretensk,  has  a  total  length 
of  4865  versts.  and  is  divided  into  the  following  sections:  the  West-Silierian, 
1.329  versts,  the  Mid-Siberian,  1715.5  versts,  the  Irkiitsk-Baikiil,  ti4  versts.  the 
Transbaik;il  1035.5  versts,  and  the  Ussuri,  721  versts. 

The  total  length  of  the  railways,  connected  with  the  Siberian  line  and 
under  the  control  of  the  Committee,  is  about  6445V3  versts,  including  besides 
the  main  line  the  branch-lines  to  the  landing  places  of  the  Siberian  rivers, 
traversed  by  the  main  trunk,  with  a  length  of  19  versts,  the  branch  -  line  to 
Tomsk,  89  versts,  and  the  Ekateriiiburg-Cheliabinsk  line,  220  versts. 

The  branch-line  of  the  Manchuiian  railway,  from  Kaidalovo  to  the  Chi- 
nese frontier,  comprises  3241.3  versts;  that  from  Nikolsk  to  the  Chinese 
frontier,  110  versts;  and  that  from  Perm  to  Kotlas,  812  versts. 

The  total  cost  of  these  railway  works  umler  the  control  of  the  Commit- 
tee is  R.  ;355,:i77.911. 

In  accordance  with  the  desire  of  the  Monarch  Pacificator,  this  costly  Si- 
berian line  was  constructed  exclusively  by  Russian  engineers  and  with  Rus- 
sian materials. 

During  the  achievement  of  this  work,  the  principal  nttention  was  jiaid  to 
the  speedy  and  solid  construction  of  the  permanent  way:  the  building  of  sta- 
tions was  to  be  eflfected  gradually,  with  a  view  to  economy,  and  to  avoid  the 
risk  of  useless  expenditure,  which  mitiht  result  from  a  false  estimate   as  to  \ 


I 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  K AII.W  AY. 


67 


the  fiitiiiT  traffic.  The  buildinas  for  the  accdiiuulaiiou  of  [lassciigi-rs  and 
goods  wi-re  to  be  constructed  in  projiortion  as  they  were  called  for  by  the 
actual  rei|uirenu'nts.  Considerable  modifications  and  jtechnical  simplifica- 
tions were  admitted  in  the  construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway,  with  a 
view  to  a  more  speedy  execution  of  the  \v<irk  and  a  reduction  of  the  expen- 
diture. 


Privy  Councillor  K.  Y-  Mikhaildvsky,  Engineer,  Constructor  of  the 
West-Siberian  Railway. 


Thus  for  example,  (he  irauge  of  the  Siberian  line  is  2.3.')  instead  of  2.6 
izhens,  the  standard  usually  adopted  on  Eurojiean  Russian  railways:  the  grades 
•n  straight  runs  are  0.0074  on  level,  and  about  0.0174  on  hilly  sections;  the 
'urves  have  a  radius  of  250  and  150  sazhens,  and  the  depth  of  the  ballast- 
ing of  the  roadbed  is  reduced;  all  the  engineering  works  and  station  build- 
ings are  simplified  and  the  rails  employed  throughout  the  whole  extent  of 
the  Siberian  Railway  are  18  pounds  to  the  foot. 

The  construction  of  a  branch  line  to  Tomsk,  one  of   the   most   important 

intellectual  and  economic  centres  of   Siberia,   was   considered   necessary    by 

t]ie  Committee  alike  for  the  development  of  the  existing  commercial  activity 

f  this  city,  and  to  avoid  the  displacement  of  other  points  traversed  by  the 

"Siberian  trunk  line 


68  GlIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  R AILWAY. 

ThL-  addition  of  a  bramii  line  connecting  the  Trans-Siberian  with  the 
Manchurian  railway,  was  also  approved  after  the  Russo-Chinese  bank,  foun- 
ded in  189(5,  had  received  the  concession  from  China  for  the  construction  and 
exploitation  of  a  line  within  the  limits  of  Manchuria.  A  joint  stock  conipany 
for  the  East-Chinese  Railway  was  organised  for  this  i)urpose. 

The  plan  of  this  last  great  work  quite  abolished  the  necessity  for  contin- 
uing the  Siberian  line  to  the  Amur,  attended  as  this  would  be  by  consider- 
able technical  difficulties,  and  put  a  stop  to  the  construction  of  the  Trans- 
baikal  line  from  Stretensk  further  East. 

Branch  lines,  running  from  the  Transbaikal  and  Ussuri  railways  to  the 
Chinese  frontier  for  a  length  of  434^3  versts,  were  to  be  constructed  in  place 
of  the  abandoned  scheme,  thus  reducing  by  about  50()  versts  the  distance 
to  be  traversed  from  one  terminus  of  the  Siberian  Railway  to  the  other. 

The  branch-line  uniting  the  Trans-Siberian  and  the  Ural  railways,  was 
laid  down  at  the  end  of  1895,  with  a  view  to  providing  for  the  needs  of  the 
Ural  mining  industry,  and  for  those  of  Siberia  which,  although  possessing 
great  mineral  treasures,  had  hitherto  suffered  from  a  dearth  of  metal  goods 
and  the  high  prices  produced  by  the  insuTficient  development  of  mining  in- 
dustry. 

For  this  purpose,  the  districts  including  the  greatest  number  of  works 
were  selected  by  the  Committee  for  the  route  of  the  line  which,  commencing 
at  Cheliabinsk,  without  neglecting  the  interests  of  Siberian  traffic,  was  made 
to  join  the  Ural  line  at  Ekaterinbiirg,  the  chief  mining  centre  of  the  Unil. 

The  project  of  the  line  from  Perm  to  Kotlas,  situated  on  the  northern 
Dvina.  was  laid  before  the  Committee  by  special  Imperial  command. 

The  Committee  paid  special  attention  to  the  establishment  of  railway 
communication  between  Siberia  and  the  port  of  Archangel  by  the  Ural  line 
and  the  branch  from  Ekaterinburg  to  Cheliabinsk.  This  line  would  make 
Archangel  an  important  trading  port  for  Siberia,  and  greatly  contribute  to 
the  reanimation  of  ihe  North,  and  to  the  development  of  our  commercial 
fleet. 

The  opening  of  the  ^^'hite  Sea  route,  representing  the  nearest  and  most 
independent  outlet  lor  the  export  abroad  of  Siberian  goods,  consisting  chiefly 
of  grain,  would  coincide  with  the  interests  of  agriculture  in  Siberia,  and  save 
the  central  districts  of  Russia  from  the  excessive  fall  of  prices  produced  by 
the  flow  of  cheap  grain  to  the  interior  markets  of  the  Empire  and  to  the 
Baltic  ports. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  Committee,  the  construction  of  the  Perm-Kotltis 
line  was  also  necessary  for  satisfying  the  local  requirements  of  the  North, 
of  Russia,  and  chiefly  for  securing  the  food  supply  of  that  region.  The 
establishment  of  a  close  commercial  intercourse  between  the  Siberian  govern- 
ments and  the  energetic  and  purely  Russian  population  of  the  Archangel 
government,  would  also  favourably  influence  the  development  of  private 
enterprise  in  Siberia- 
Endeavouring  to  develop  trade  and  the  exploitation  of  Siberia,  the  Com- 
mittee instituted  geological  explorations  which  were  carried  on  along  the 
Railway  line  in  order  to  ascertain  the  existence  of  useful  minerals  which, 
like  coal,  anthracite,  iron  ores  etc.,  used  in  the  mining  industry,  were  necess- 
ary for  the  exploitation  of  the  railway  line. 

By  order  of  the  Committee,  mining  parties  explored  the  country  from 
Cheliabinsk  to  Irki'itsk,  the  Kirgi'z  steppe  and  the  regions  along  the  Angara 


i 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


69 


rivt-r.  romul  l.akf  Haikal.  aloiiir  tlu'  l'ssiii-i  liiu'.  and  alony-  the  rivors  of  tlio 
Amur  basin.  As  a  result  of  those  iiivostiirations.  man\'  useful  minerals  were 
liisooveivil  near  the  Siberian  main  line,  and  also  in  more  distant  spots,  which 
however  are  easily  accessible  by  branch  lines. 


Actual  State  Councillor  N.  P.  Mezhininov.  Engineer  Constructor  of  the  Mid-Siberian  Railway. 


deposits  of  fuel  were  found  at  man.\  points  thmui^huut  the  course  of 
the  Siberian  Railway,  from  the  Kircriz  steppe  to  the  coasts  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  the  Island  of  Sakhalin.  The  untold  wealth  of  Siberia  in  brown  ore 
and  maicnetite.  the  best  varieties  of  iron  ore.  was  once  more  confirmi'd  by 
genlo.uical  partii's.  which  discovered  manx    hitherto  unknown  di-posits. 

The  few  iron  works  and  foundries  aciuali.\  existintr  in  Siln-ria,  althoujrh 
situated    in    the    iiroximity   of   rich    mineral  deposits  and  well  supplied  with 


70  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERUX  R.ULWAY. 

fuel,  do  not  suffice  for  the  local  demand  for  iron  goods.  Thanks  to  the  ver> 
limited  iron  industry,  the  prices  are  high  in  Siberia.  A  few  merchants  hold 
a  monopoly  and  charge  what  they  like. 

The  increasing  demand  for  iron  required  for  household,  agricultural  and 
industrial  purposes,  makes  the  construction  of  new  iron  works  absolutely 
necessary  on  the  Siberian  Railway,  and  especially  in  the  Mid-Siberian  and 
Transbaikai  sections  where  a  great  number  of  rich  iron  mines  have  been 
found  of  late. 

.\mong  other  useful  metals,  silver,  lead  and  copper  have  deen  discovered 
by  mining  parties  at  many  points  near  the  Railway.  The  annual  output  of 
lead  iu  the  Empire  is  not  much  more  than  UTO.OiO  puds,  while  an  import  of 
2.000,iiili5  puds  only  just  suffices  for  its  needs:  this  fact  clearly  demonstrates 
the  necessity  for  increasing  the  exploitation  of  the  mineral  wealth  of  Siberia 
Copper  smelting  is  practised  on  a  very  limited  scale  in  Siberia,  and  e.vist- 
only  in  ihe  Altai  mining  district,  within  the  confines  of  His  Majesty's  TaM 
net  lands,  and  in  the  Kirgiz  steppe  where  it  is  obtained,  either  by  smelting' 
copper  ores  or  in  refining  silver.  The  annual  output  of  copper  amounts  i 
about  20,000  puds. 

The  development  of  the  goldmining  industry,  which  is  of  first  rate  im- 
portance for  the  Government  and  for  the  economic  welfare  of  Siberia,  was 
also  the  object  of  the  special  solicitude  of  the  Committee. 

In   view   of  the   wide   prospect   opened  for  this  industry  in    Siberia,  the 
Committee  recognised  the  immediate  necessity  for  its  technical  and  statistical 
economic  study,  in  order  to  establish  the  extent  of  its  requirements,  and  al>' 
the  value  of  explorations  to  ascertain  the  extension  of  the  gold  bearing  region.s. 

At  the  present  time,  the  gold-mining  industry  of  Siberia,  yielding  gold  to 
the  value  of  R.  20.0iX).000.  comprises  a  vast  area.  Gold  is  obtained  in  the  Ob, 
Yenisei.  Lena  and  Amur  basins,  and  throughout  all  the  governments  of  this 
enormously  rich  country.  All  the  goldbearing  re.gions  on  the  Ob,  Yenisei  and 
Lena,  are  situated  in  the  basins  of  rivers  flowing  from  the  east,  viz.  fr^m 
the  western  slopes,  fallin.g  gradually  to  the  Xorth  Siberian  plain,  of  th 
mountain  ridges  bounding  the  basin  of  the  Arctic  Ocean  on  the  south. 

The  strata  containing  auriferous  gravels  have  a  thickness  which  vari«> 
from  2  feet  to  -3  sazhens.  and  are  covered  by  an  alluvial  soU  or  turf.  They 
are  from  1  to  .50  versts  in  length,  and  include  sometimes  uninterrupted  beds 
of  auriferous  sand  fit  for  exploitation.  The  proportion  of  gold  is  not  the  sanv 
in  all  the  mines:  the  top  of  the  mine  generally  contains  an  accumulation  if 
coarse  grained  gold,  with  an  admixture  of  quartz,  magnetic  iron  ore  ari'i 
pyrites:  in  the  middle  of  the  mine,  the  gold  grains  are  smaller  and  its  ri'h- 
ness  inferior,  while  at  the  bottom  the  mines  contain  only  gold  dust. 

The  thickness  and  the  width  of  the  gold  strata  vary  greatly.  In  Siberia 
auriferous    quartz    is   found   in   the  Yeniseisk   government,  on    the  .\ltai.  in 
connexion  with  silver  in  the  Zyrianov  and  Riddersk  mines,  and  in  the  Tran> 
baikal   region.  Several  beds  of  gold  ore  have  been  discovered  more  lately  in 
the  Mariinsk  district  of  the  Tomsk  government. 

The  first  step  towards  a  more  complete  study  of  the  mining  industry  nf 
Siberia  was  made  in  1895  by  the  organisation  of  a  special  commission  atta- 
ched to  the  mining  department,  comprising  representatives  of  different 
departments  entruste<l  with  the  collection  and  elaboration  of  all  the  parti'U- 
lars  of  the  gold  mining  industr.v.  and  with  the  establishment  of  a  programiii'- 
for  the  exploration  of  the  auriferous  regions. 


THE  CONSTRVCTIOS  OF  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY.  71 

One  of  tlu' .  problems  of  the  eomniission  was  to  shew  clearly  ami  in  a 
po|)iilar  form  the  actual  extent  of  gold  minin,a:  in  the  Empire,  others  consi- 
sted in  the  collection  of  materials  and  the  makinir  of  calculations,  which 
were  to  serve  as  a  basis  for  the  more  accurate  elaljoration  of  the  iceneral 
plan  and  i>roirramme  for  future  ireological.  technical  and  statistical-economic 
investiiiations. 

According  to  the  data  obtained,  it  appears  that,  with  few  exceptions, 
gold  is  at  present  obtained  in  Siberia  by  washing  machines  of  very  primi- 
tive construction,  the  goldbearing  regions  are  but  im|ierfectly  exploited,  and 
the  mines  unsufticiently  worked,  while  two  thirds  of  them  are  entirely  unde- 
velo|>ed  for  want  of  capital  and  workmen.  Some  technical  improvements  in 
the  working  of  gold  mines  are  being  adopted  now  at  a  few  i)laces:  thus  for 
exami>le.  in  the  Lensk  district,  gold  is  washed  in  winter  with  warm  water: 
in  the  .\miir  territory,  dredging  machines  are  employed,  and  the  work  time 
is  extondeil  by  washin^r  the  ore  in  the  night  by  electric  light.  The  resolution 
of  the  roinmiltee  of  Ministers  sanctioned  by  the  Emperor  in  18'.ts.  ]ieniiitting 
during  lo  years  (till  the  1  January  1909)  the  free  import  of  foreign  machinery 
and  appliances  renuired  for  the  mining  industry  in  Siberia  and  the  Ural, 
will  surely,  in  the  near  future,  contribute  to  the  development  of  a  more 
regular  exploitation  and  of  a  greater  iirodiiction  of  gold  b.v  enlarging  the 
districts  worked,  and  getting  a  greater  ijuantity  of  gold  from  the  existing 
fields. 

The  greater  part  of  Siberia's  mineral  wealth  is  as  yet  lying  waste,  and 
is  even  scarcely  known:  the  results  of  the  extensive  and  varied  investiga- 
tions carried  out  within  the  range  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  will  un- 
doubtedly attract  promoters  who.  on  the  l)asis  of  the  existinir  information, 
will  find  aiii>lication  for  their  capital  and  labour,  and  duly  develop  many 
branches  of  the  mining  industi-y,  for  which  Siberia  offers  the  most  advant- 
ageous conditions. 

The  progress  of  economic  life  in  Siberia  produced  by  the  Great  Railway, 
marked  by  the  increase  of  freights  over  the  water  systems  of  Siberia,  raised 
the  ijuestion  of  improving  the  navigatiim  on  the  Siberian  rivers,  which  rejire- 
sent  the  chief  natural  branches  and  feeding  lines  of  the  main  railway.  With 
this  in  view,  the  Committee  selected  the  water-ways  of  the  Ob  basin.  Accor- 
dingly a  department  of  ways  of  communication  was  organised  at  Tomsk  in 
\mn.  Further,  the  channels  of  the  rivers  Tuni.  Tobol.  Irtysh.  Ob  and  Tom 
were  put  in  order,  and  water-gauges  and  meteorological  stations  establish(>(l. 
The  exploration  of  the  Shilka,  Issuri  and  Amur  rivers  has  been  undertaken 
with  a  view  to  facilitating  navigation  of  the  Amur  system:  their  fair-ways 
have  been  straightened  and  cleared,  and  a  special  dapartment  for  the  manage- 
ment of  the  water-ways  belonging  to  this  basin  has  been  organised  for 
the  same  i)uri)ose.  Considei-able  expeniliture  was  required  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  navigation  on  the  .\ngara  an(i  for  a  provisional  steamboat  servi- 
ce established  for  the  shipment  of  railway  materials  and  especially  for  the 
conveyance  of  the  heavy  and  bulky  parts  of  the  icebreaker  for  the  Haikal. 

The  Committee  gave  sjiecial  attention  to  the  regulation  of  the  naviiration 
on  the  Haikal.  closely  connected  with  the  interests  of  the  railway  traffic,  for 
which  this  lake  is  one  of  the  most  important  natural  factors.  The  Committee 
~  further  anxious  to  insure  the  regular  navigation  of  the  Haikal.  in  order 
'  develop  the  economic  growth  of  the  localities  situateil  on  its  shores,  en- 
wed  with  fisheries  and  mineral  deposits. 


72  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

A  special  Cdniniission  was  entnisti'd  witli  thr  dctiiiUMi  stmly  nf  iIk;  Bai- 
kal, and  with  the  collection  and  ro.iristration  of  topoiiraphical,  meteorological 
and  astronomical  observations  in  its  basin.  Its  principal  oly'ect  was  to  secure 
safe  navigation  by  making  a  map,  placing  pilot  marks  and  buoys. 

In  order  to  establish  regular  water  communication  with  Siberia  and 
encourage  the  industry  of  the  North,  the  Committee  organised  special  expedi- 
tions for  the  hydrographic  exploration  of  the  sea  route  to  the  mouths  of 
the  Ob  and  Yenisei,  and  for  the  description  of  the  straits  of  the  Yiigorsky 
Shar  and  Kara  Sea,  and  the  islands  Bely  and  Vilkitsky. 

After  having  selected  the  town  of  Vladivostok  on  the  coast  of  the  Paci- 
fic Ocean  as  the  commercial  port  of  the  terminus  of  the  Siberian  Railway, 
the  Committee  occupied  itself  with  the  organisation  in  the  bay  of  the  Golden 
Horn  of  the  necessary  facilities  for  foreign  trade  and  for  our  navy. 

An  icebreaker  purchased  in  Denmark  was  put  to  work  in  the  itnrt  of  Vla- 
divostok in  order  to  maintain  navigation  uninterrupted  in  winter,  which  is 
of  great  importance  for  our  commerce  and  for  our  Pacific  squadron. 

The  Russo-Chinese  Bank,  founded  on  the  27-th  August  1890,  for  the  commer- 
cial transactions  of  Eastern  Asia,  contributed  to  a  great  extent  to  the  pro- 
motion of  Russian  trade  with  China  and  Japan  in  the  Far  East,  brought 
nearer  by  the  Great  Siberian  Railway  to  the  centres  of  trade  and  consump- 
tion in  Europe.  The  East-China  Railway  Company,  entrusted  by  the  Hank 
with  the  construction  and  the  working  of  a  raihvay  line  within  the  confines 
of  China,  began  operations  by  building  a  line  from  Port-Arthur  to  the  town 
of  Nikolsk  situated  at  the  junction  of  the  Littoral  and  Manchurian  Railways, 
which  was  to  serve  as  a  link  to  the  Great  Siberian  line. 

The  Imperial  founder  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railroad  attached  special 
importance  to  the  settlement  of  the  regions  traversed  by  it,  regarding  emi- 
gration as  a  factor  which  in  Russian  history  had  always  tended  to  secure 
Russian  dominion  and  Russian  culture,  and  would  serve  as  a  stronghold  of 
orthodoxy  and  Russian  law  in  Siberia. 

According  to  the  plan  of  the  late  Emperor.  His  linperial  Majesty 
Nicholas  II  expressed  the  desire  to  give  a  more  conscious  and  regular  chara- 
cter to  the  emigration  movement,  and  to  prevent  such  emigration  from 
injuriously  affecting  the  economic  condition  of  the  settlers.  For  this  purpose 
the  Committee  made  all  sorts  of  arrangements  to  harmonise  with  the  former 
life  of  the  peasants  at  home,  meeting  their  needs  on  the  road  and  facilita- 
ting their  settlement  in  the  new  locality. 

To  ascertain  the  jirospects  offered  by  emigration  to  Siberia,  and  to  avoid 
false  information,  villagers  who  intend  to  emigrate  have  the  right  to  pre- 
viously send  a  pioneer  to  examine  the  places  of  future  settlement.  These  men 
travelling  at  a  reduced  fare  and  subsidised  with  grants  of  money,  are  allowed 
the  right  to  choose  land  for  the  families  left  behind,  as  being  bettei-  able 
than  any  else  to  form  exact  notions  as  regards  colonisation  in  Siberia.  .Short 
but  exact  descriptions  of  Siberia,  including  the  general  regulations  for  peas- 
ant emigration  were  spread  among  the  population  with  the  same  object 
Special  land  surveying  parties,  sent  by  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  State 
Domains  to  assist  the  settlers,  are  entrusted  with  the  exploration  of  the  cul- 
tivable areas  fit  for  colonisation,  traversed  by  the  Great  Sihei'ian  Railwav. 
anil  with  the  surveying  of  the  lands  allotted  to  the  emigrants. 

With  the  continued  grow-th  of  the  movement  and  its  expansion  nvcr 
wider  regions,  in  1896  was  begun  the  settlement   of  the  taiga  or  urman  dis- 


THE  CONSTRrCTION  OP  THE  GKEAT  SIBERIAN  KAILWAY. 


?:! 


tricts  adjacent  to  the  railwMv  line, a  measure  of  imu'li  iiiiportance  for  coloni- 
sation in  ireneral,  as  it  greatly  extends  the  limits  of  the  cultivable  area. 

The  settlement  of  the  steppe   lands,   whidi    are    well  suited  ior  agricul- 
lure.  has  been  carried  into  effect  at  the  same  time. 


Engineer  A.  N.  Pushechnikov,  Constructor  of  the  TransbaikSI  Railway. 


The  interests  of  the  indigenous  nomad  populaticm.  the  Kirgiz,  have  been 
taken  into  consideration  during  the  colonisation  of  the  steppe  regions;  de- 
tailed investigations  of  the  natural  history  and  statistics  of  the  Akmoh'nsk, 
Seniipalatinsk  and  partly  of  the  Turgai  steppes,  have  been  made  with  a  view 


74  OIUIIK  TO  THIC  GRKAT  SIHERIAN  l(  \IIAV.\Y. 

to  (li'liTiiiiniii^-  llic  rxti'lil  iif  till'  (lisl|-it-ts  ncriiiiitMl  l)\-  the  iKimads.  ami  lA 
the  IVoe  lands  which  niighl  he  aUnlted  to  eini,^rants,  without  da.nia,i;e  id  the 
ahorigenes.  in  arran.irin.ii'  the  ulletiueiits  inr  scltlei-s.  care  was  taken  iliat 
they  might  include  land  suitahle  for  cultivation  and  ho  sulficienlly  provided 
with  water.  Since  the  first  organisation  of  these  survey  and  allotment  jiar- 
ties,  ini  ludini:-  the  work  done  in  1898,  3,744.0(X)  desiatins  have  been  assigned 
for  accomodation  <d'  settler's  along  the  Silici'iaii  Raihva.w  of  which  4.:!(I8,(kk) 
are  already  oc(ni|iie(i. 

The  land  statistics  give  about  o.oiw.ax)  surplus  desiatins  ot  Kirgiz  land 
in  the  Akjiiolinsk  territory,  which  are  partly  to  be  colonised.  The  unfavou- 
rable hydrographic  conditions  of  the  Jshim  and  Baraba  steppes  travei-sed  by 
the  Railway,  within  the  confines  of  the  Akniolinsk  territoi'y  and  the  Tobolsk 
and  Tomsk  govei'nnients,  necessitate  the  organisation  of  an  irrigation  system 
for  these  localities. 

The  hydrotechnical  parties  sent  by  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Slate 
Domains  have  undertaken  the  regulation  of  the  irrigation  ot  the  scantily  wate- 
red emigrant  lands  in  the  Ishim  steppe,  and  the  drainage  of  the  swampy 
Baraba  steppe. 

Putting  a  free  land-fund  at  the  disposal  of  the  settlers,  the  Committee 
at  the  same  time  has  taken  measures  to  provide  them  with  the  due  authori- 
sation and  to  supply  them  with  grants  of  money  for  travelling  exi)enses.  It 
has  further  organised  niedical  and  feeding  stations  along  the  road.  Every 
emigrant  suffering  from  an  infectious  disease  is  detained  at  (Jheliabinsk,  the 
starting  ]ioinl  of  the  Siberian  railroad.  The  medical  and  feeding  stations 
are  organised  at  the  points  of  the  railway  where  the  emigrants  leave  the 
train  and  continue  their  journey  wath  horses.  At  these  stations,  they  get 
gratuitous  medical  assistance  and  hot  food  at  very  low  rates.  Loans  of  mon- 
ey for  the  installation  of  the  household,  seed-corn,  and  timber  for  house- 
building are  also  allotted  to  settlers.  Special  stores  of  necessary  household 
furniture  and  of  timber,  obtainable  by  the  settlers  at  low  prices  or  instead 
of  mone,\  loans,  are  organised  at  places  where  forests  are  scarce  and  the 
supply  of  woi)d  attended  with  difficulty. 

The  Committee  is  not  only  solicitous  for  the  material  welfari'  oi  the  set- 
tlers in  their  new  dwelling  jilai-i's,  but  also  provides  for  their  spiritual  wants 
by  the  building  of  churches  and  primar.\'  schools  in  the  new  seltU'inents. 

The  topographical  conditions  of  the  cultivable  zone  of  Siberia  rcipiire  a 
considerable  distance  between  the  settlements,  which  places  the  Russian  colo- 
nist in  a  very  isolated  position.  The  few  parish  churches,  which  very  of  ten 
are  situated  at  some  distance  from  the  villages,  are  hardly  accessible  to  the 
whole  oi'  the  population.  In  this  resjiect,  the  emigrants  settlin.g  amidst  nomad 
.Mohammedans  in  the  steppes  are  in  a  still  worse  condition. 

Dwelling  S(jnietimes  at  a  distance  id'  l.'iii  to  2i)n  v(>rsts  froni  tlu'  orthodox 
churches  of  the  Cossack  villa.ges,  tlu'y  are  visiicd  lor  ihr  performance  of  the 
rites  of  the  cluin'li  ii.\  the  clerg.\  of  these  tcmporar.\  parishes  not  more  than 
twice  a  year. 

The  number  of  national  schmils  in  Siberia  is  also  very  small. 

The  Siberian  Railway  plays  a  [lart  of  the  first  importance  in  the  creation 
of  churches  and  schools.  The  stations,  althou.gh  situated  at  a  considerable 
distance  from  existing  churches,  become  fresh  centres  of  population.  Fur- 
ther, at  stations  distinguished  by  a  lar.ire  traffic,  are  concentrated  considc- 
ralilc  nuiubrrs  nf  railwa\    dflicials,  while  some  stations  have  brcoine  cculrcs 


TIIK  rOXSTRlTTIO.V   OF   THE  OKEAT  SIBERIAN"  RAILWAY. 


75 


oi"  the  onii;:i-;tti»n  movi'iui'iu.  w  lifiici'  I'lniiiraiits  start    for   the    inspei-tion    or 
lit'finitr  Sfitli'iiu'iit  of  the  localitU's  iiiiiicatcci  tor  the  purpose. 

Till'  first  stop  towards  the  Imililinj:  of  cliurclies  anil    schools    was    takun 
Ijy  tho  [■jniuTor-l'acificator.  folliiwril  in  1HVI4  by    an   appeal   to    pulilic  Iponefi- 


Actual  Privy  Councillor  Engineer  0.  P.  Viizemsky.  Constructor  of  the  Ussuri  Railway. 


"'^nce.  and  by  tho  establishment  of  a  fund  for  the  consiiuctinn  cf  ciuiiches 
lid  schools  in  Siberia,  sanctioned  l)\'  the  jiresent  Kiiiperor  and  entitled  the 
Fund  of  the  late  Kniperer  Alexander  111.  This  has  atrnrded  the  means  tor  the 
buildinir  of  a  niinilier  of  churches  and  scliools  to  meet  the  rei|iiiremeiits  of 
the  numerous  population. 


7('. 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Tlir  sum  >'['  U.  Jl.sod.iHKi.  or  R.  4,imk)  per  verst.  Inivf  hi'i-n  assi.u'iii'd  at  va- 
rious times  in  additicui  In  the  total  expenditure  for  tlie  construction  of  the 
^ilierian  liaihvay.  with  a  view  to  oriranisinic  auxiliary  works,  settlini;  the 
localities  contiicuous  to  the  I'ailwax"  line,  and  developinir  trade  and  industry 
in  Siberia. 

In  making  the  vast  outlay  of  several  hundred  millinn  rubls  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  .ereat  Siberian  Railway,  the  Government  tiid  not  exjiect  in 
the  near  future  to  ,s:et  a  strictly  commercial  return.  Its  profit  was  based  on 
numerous  elements  of  increase  in  the  national  economy,  conjectural  and  inca- 
pable of  arithmetical  calculation, connected  with  the  commercial  and  industrial 
development  of  the  country. 


Ctiurch-car. 


The  Railway  exercised  however  such  a  mi.shty  influence  on  the  .growth 
of  economic  life  in  Siberia  that  its  commercial  success  far  exceeds  the  most 
extrava.gant  expectations. 

Upon  the  opening  of  provisional  traffic  on  the  West  Siberian  Railway  in 
1895,  and  of  regular  traffic  in  October  1896,  the  means  at  its  disposal  were 
far  from  sufficing  for  the  transport  and  conveyance  of  the  passengers  and 
.iroods  which  presented  themselves.  In  order  to  obviate  this  difficulty,  thirty 
one  sidings  were  added  in  189() — 1898  to  facilitate  the  traffic,  while  the  rol- 
ling stock  was  increased  by  thirty  locomotives  and  600  cai'ria.i;es.  However 
diirin.g  the  winter  af  1899,  7,000  wag.gons  carrying  over  5,000,000  puds  of 
goods  blocked  the  line. 

The  following  figures  illustrate  the  increase  of  jiassenger  and  goods  traffic: 

The  West  Siberian  Railway  conveyed  in  1896:  160.000  passengers,  169,(K)0 
emigrants,  and  lo..ioo,aK)  imils  of  various  goods;  in  1897— 2.'56.000  passen.irers, 
78,0<XJ  emigrants,  and  21,190.000  puds  of  goods:  in  1898—379,000  passengers, 
195,000  emigrants  and  80,(K10,(KK)  puds  of  goods. 


THE  CONSTRICTION  OF  THE  GREAT  STBERIAX  RAILWAY. 


I  I 


The  .Miti-Siberian  Railway  conveyod  in  ],Si17— ITT.ixm  iMsscriirers  and 
5,.393,(K>1  puds  of  goods:  in  1S9S— 476.IKX)  jnisscngers  and  U.OUrtiin  puds  of  goods. 

On  the  West  Siiierian  Railway,  wiiich  was  first  opened,  the  passenger 
traffic  increased  by  50  iiercent  and  tlie  gomls  traffic  by  still  more. 

Further  progress  in  the  development  oi  the  traffic  'of  the  Great  Siberian 


interior  of  the  Church-car. 


Itailway  is  certain,  especially  upon  the  junction  of  the  main  line  with  the 
IHirt  on  the  Pacific  Ocean,  when  there  will  be  continuous  railway  communica- 
tion between  Europe  and  the  East  of  Asia,  and  there  will  be  created  the 
'fest,  quickest,  cheapest  and  most  convenient  route.  Brought  into  connexion 
>vith  the  network  of  European  railways  and  running  throusrh  the  Russian 
Empire  for  a  distance  of  about  lu.otX)  versts.  the  Siberian  Railway  mostly 
traverses  cultivated  and  productive  countries,  uniting  their  commercial  cent- 
res  and    offering    new    outlets    and    pi-ospects    fur  Russian  and  iiileinational 


78  Cil'IDK  Til  TliK  iav-K\T  SIliKRIAN  RAILWAY. 

iiit('ri'(iurs(>  and  trade.  It  iiiiisl  lie  iiiriiliiuii'd  llial  China,  .iapan  and  Ivirra. 
comprisin^i;;  a  total  pninilaticiii  of  almut  4(io,()()ii,oi)i)  smiLs,  and  liavinji'  a  t'Droiiin 
trade  to  the  amount  cd'  R.  oOU.OUMKN)  ■:(dd.  are  yet  far  from  liavini;-  fully  deve- 
lii|ied  their  comnierci'  with  Kurope.  Ipdu  the  completion  nf  the  .Manrlm  rian 
railway,  they  will  be  able  to  take  a  jireater  sliare  in  the  international  market, 
thanks  to  the  (ireat  Siberian  Railway,  eonstitutiiia:  a  most  inipnrtant  lactnr 
in  the  further  development  of  trade. 

At  the  present  time,  Europe  communicates  with  Asia  via  the  Suez  Canal 
by  means  of  four  great  steamship  companies:  the  I'eninsular  and  Oriental, 
the  Messa.geries  Maritimes.  and  the  German  and  .\ustrian  Llnyds  ;uul  the 
lesser  companies:  the  Russian  Steamship  and  Trading  C'  and  the  Volunteer 
Fleet.  They  all  work  well,  but  de  not  suffice  to  meet  the  demand  for  trans- 
port, so  that  it  is  necessary  to  apply  in  good  time  in  the  case  of  betli  pass- 
engers and  goods. 

Considering  Moscow  as  the  centre  of  Russia,  and  London  and  Shanghai 
as  the  termini  for  foreign  trade,  it  appears  that  the  voya.ge  from  Moscow,  via 
Odessa  to  Vladivostok,  requires  nut  less  than  forty  days,  and  costs  R.  tiui) 
for  first  class  cabin  passengers,  and  R.  450  for  second  (dass  passengers 
while  the  passage  from  London  to  Shanghai  requires  from  34  to  36  days, 
and  costs  from  R.  650  to  R.  ttOO. 

The  journey  from  Moscow  to  Vladivost('ik  lU'  l'iirt-.\i'thur,  rduiprising  a 
distance  of  about  8,000  versts,  at  the  rate  of  30  versts  an  hour  and  with  the 
e.\isting  tarilT,  will  take  ten  days,  and  cost  R.  114  first  class,  by  fast  train, 
inclusive  of  Government  tax  and  sleeping  accomodation;  R.  74  second  class, 
and  R.  51  third  class,  by  jiost  train.  Without  sleeping  car.  the  fares  are 
R.  89,  R,  56,  and  R.  36. 

Accordin.g  to  this  calculation,  the  Journey  from  London  to  Shanghai  in- 
cludes: throe  days  from  London  to  Moscow,  cost  R.  125,  ten  days  from  Mos- 
cow to  Vladivostok,  cost  R.  114,  three  days  from  Vladivostok  to  Shan.ghai, 
cost  R.  80,  or  a  total  of  16  days  and  R.  319.  The  juurney  second  (dass  costs 
R.  2a),  third  class-about  R.  130. 

The  conveyance  by  the  Siberian  Railway  will  be  over  twice  as  ([uick  as  and 
2'  2  times  cheaper  than  that  now  existing.  By  increasing  the  speed  up  to 
that  adoptecl  in  Kin-npc,  the  journey  fi'oni  Lnndon  to  .Shanghai  will  be  redu- 
ced to  ten  days. 

There  Cean  he  no  dnubi  that,  besides  the  internaticuial  mails  of  iiiM'o|ie 
and  Eastern  .Vsia,  the  greater  iiart  of  the  more  vauiable  goods,  as  well  as 
such  as  are  liai)le  to  s|)oil  or  require  to  be  conveyed  rapidly,  will  go  by  the 
Great  Siberian  .Main  Line. 

All  these  considerations  rcdative  to  the  actual  progress  and  to  the  future 
importance  n\  the  Sibt>rian  Railway,  led  to  the  organisation  of  a  commission 
in  1898.  for  establishing  the  iiecessar.\'  facilities  for  the  increase  of  the 
through  traffic  and  means  of  transport  on  the  Siberian  Railway.  Its  result 
shewed  that  the  Siberian  line,  uniting  as  it  does  the  European  and  .Vsiatic 
markets,  and  running  a  distance  of  10,0(XJ  versts  thnnigh  countries  iiroinising 
a  great  develo|unent  of  industry,  will  soon  ac([uire  an  inimense  importance 
for  local  traffic  and  for  international  transit,  with  a  view  to  whiidi,  it  must 
be  made  eipial  to  the  future  wants  of  the  home  and  foreign  pass(>nger  and 
gdods  Iraflic. 

Arrangements  for  a  more  extensive  organisation  were  deeineil  must 
necessary  by  the  Committee  to  meet  the  interests  of  the  public  ,-ind.  in  \ie\v 


THE  CONSTRIOTION  OK  TlIK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  HAIIAVAV.  i\) 

it  tlio  uin'\|H'ctod  i-iiiuiiu'irial  success  of  llio  Siberian  Kaihvay  whicii.  as  is 
estimated,  upon  its  completion,  will  have  an  annual  revenue  of  about 
H.  s.(KKl.iXK).  Kvon  this  amount  will  in  time  he  excei'ded.  and  R.  U).(KX).(K)0 
will  not  he  too  hiiih  a  tiiiure,  if  we  include  all  the  indirect  benefits  which 
may  be  I'xpected  by  the  (iovernment. 

The  estimated  cost  of  these  additional  facilities.  re(|uired  for  the  Sibe- 
rian Railway.  IVom  Cheliabinsk  to  the  station  Kaidalovo  (united  by  a  branch 
line  with  the  Manchurian  railway)  is  R.  !)I.;ilt).7!)l  inclusive  of  the  exjiendi- 
ture  for  the  increase  of  the  cai>acity  for  throui;h  traffic  and  conveyance,  the 
introduction  of  a  hiuher  speed,  the  replaciMuent  of  the  liiiht  by  heav\'  rails. 
ami  till'  improvement  of  the  roadwax. 

The  I'apid  increase  in  the  profits  of  the  (ireat  Siberian  Railway,  connected 
with  the  iicneral  economic  jirowth  of  Siberia,  strikingly  illustrates  the  etlVct 
produced  upon  civilisation  and  commerce  by  this  great  work,  which  will 
■-i-rve  as  a  monument  to  the  reign  of  the  Tsar  Pacificator  and  to  the  Russian 
Slavonic  nation,  which  is  destined  to  projiagate  Christianity  and  civilisation 
in  the  Kast  of  Asia. 


Sections  of  the  Great  Siberian  Line  already  built  and  in  course  of  construction. 


COMMENCEMENT. 

SECTION. 

in 

Cost  of  line 
in  rubls. 

Cosi  111' rol- 
ling stocl{ 

Worliing 
capital  in 

Opening    of 
regular 

Tcrsis. 

in    rubls. 

rubls. 

tralTie. 

lv.r2       ;  .July. 

West-Siberian ...... 

1329 

;J7..')T  1.940 

9,552,7.58 

1.200.0tK) 

1  Oct.   1S90. 

1S'.I4     Summer. 

Ekateriiibftrg    Chelii- 
biii.^k  branch   

22ti 

(i.2020.4() 

— 

10  Oct.   1890.1 

18W        .Mny. 

Mid-Siberian  1  Section. 

711 

1 

81.r)41,4Sl 

4,71.').0'.MJ 

ti24.01Hl 

1  .Ian.   1S9S. 

1 

1894     Siiininor. 

II  section 

l(J(>t'2 

tio,  133.379 

0.O40.O85 

888.000 

—     1898. 

'Mi     Sinniiier. 

Tomsk    Branch    

8!) 

2,494.198 

— 

79,000 

]   Jan.  1898. 

Irkutsk-Baikal  Branch. 

04 

1 

3,020.330 

— 

—     1899. 

IMi.'>     11  .\|)ril. 

Transbaikal    

lo:5.'.''2 

54.992.381 

3.2.58.000 

1,000.000 

In  course  of 
construction. 

80 

(HIDE  TO  THE  GRE.VT  smERI.\N  R.\IL\V.\Y. 

COMMENCEMENT. 

SECTION. 

Length 

in 
versts. 

Cost  of  line 
in   rubls. 

Cost  of  rol- 
ling stock 
in    rubls. 

Working 

capital  in 

rubls. 

Opening  of 
reb'ulitr 
traffic. 

1S97             — 

1894        3  July. 
1891      19    May. 
1897          — 

1 

Kaidalovo  Cliiiiese  fron- 
tier  

3241/3 

339 

382 

nu 

2.i,2S1.27M 
20,365,033 
19,117,229 

8,046.8(37 

2.727.f;(K) 
2,093,846 
1,466,250 

811.120 

314.280 
579,200 
681,000 

176,000 

In  course  of 
construction. 

1  Nov.  1897 
1  Fcbr.  1896 

f 

In  course  a 
construction 

North-Dssuri  

South-Dssliri 

Nikolsk  Cliinese  fron- 
tier   

Total  .  .   . 

56141/3 

274,372.762 

20.271.379 

5.571,480 

J 

The  Samara-Zlatoust  Railway. 


Importance  of  the  line  as  connecting  the  Russian  European  railways  with  the  Siberian 
trunk. — Its  divisions  and  the  time  of  construction. — Topography. — The  economic  and  commer- 
cial conditions  of  the  localities  traversed  by  the  Railway. — Guide  from  Batraki  to  Chelii- 
binsk. — Descriptionof  the  stations  and  environs. — Effectof  the  railway. — Batraki. — Samdra. — 
Kin61.  — Krotovka. — Cherkisskaya. — Bugurusldn. — Abdiilino. — Beleb^i  -  Aksdkovo. —  Davle- 
kiinovo.— Yumdtovo.— Ufd. — Miniir. — Timskoe. — Kropach^vo. — Ust-Katdv. —  Viazoviya. — 
Suleya.  -Zlatoust.— Urzhumka.—Syrostdn  (Asiatic  frontier).~Miis.—Chelidbinsk.— Emi- 
gration medical  and  food  station. — Importance  -of  the  Chelidbinsk  station  as  the  junction 
of  three  railways. — The  Cheliabinsk-Ekaterinburg  and  Perm-Tium^n  line. — Chief  points 
along  the  railways. — Description  of  the  towns  of  Ekaterinburg  and  Tiumen. — Commercial 
operations  of  the  Perm-Tium6n  railway. — Bibliography. 


iJie  Sanuira-Zlatoust  line  represents  the  principal  link  between 
';jthe  network  of  railways  in  European  Russia  and  the  main  Sibe- 
rZS"'^^^^^'  "*n  liii^-  Commencing  at  the  station  of  Batraki,  the  terminus 
x^^-/'}"3N5f  the  Syzran-Viazma  railway,  situated  on  the  western  or  right 
^^"^^-^^Y^bank  of  the  Volga,  the  line  runs  eastwards  a  distance  of  1,057 
. '^v^" '^^rsts  and  terminates   at  Cheliabinsk,  which  is  the  junction  of 
~'2p  -^fl&ree  railways:    the  Samara  -  Zlatoust,   \\'est  -  Siberian  and  Perm- 
Tiumen  lines.  The  construction  of  the  Samara-Zlatoust  line  was  divided  into 
the  following  sections:  1)  Batrakl-Kinel,  155  versts,  belonging  to  the  Orenburg 
railway,  constructed  in  1875 — 1S76,  including  a  bridge  over  the  Volga,  and  opened 
U)  traffic  in  1880;  2)  Kinel-Ufa,  452  versts^  open  to  traffic  in  1888:   3)  Ufa-Zla- 
toust, 299  versts,  completed  in  1890;  4)  Zlatotist-Cheliabinsk,  151    versts,  open 
to  traffic  in  1892. 

The  sections  of  this  line  have  been  successively  constructed  by  the  engi- 
neer Mikhailovsky  under  the  direction  of  the  Government,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  first  section,  which  was  constructed   by   a  joint    stock  company. 


82  GriDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

and  passed  under  the  management  of  the  Government  in  1893  together  with 
the  Orenburg  line.  Cdniinenring  at  the  eastern  border  of  the  Simbirslv  govern 
nient,  the  railway  line,  tiiroughout  its  extensive  course,  runs  from  west  to  easi 
through  the  central  ])arts  of  the  Samiira  and  Ufa  governments,  and  terminates  at 
Cheliabinsk,  situated  on  the  northern  frontier  of  the  Orenburg    government. 

The  topography  of  this  line  is  very  varied.  In  its  extreme  western  section, 
from  Batraki  station  to  Kin^l,  it  runs  through  a  level  and  almost  steppe 
country,  only  interrupted  by  hills  near  the  river  Padovka  at  the  13S-th  verst.  At 
this  point,  the  conditions  for  the  construction  of  the  line  are  more  favourable: 
its  maximum  grades  are  0.010  (both  ways)  and  the  maximum  radius  250 
sazhens,  it  has  Sceso/o  of  horizontal  sections,  and  82.275%  of  straight  runs 
throughout  its  course.  In  theKinel-Ufa  section,  the  line  passes  mainly  through 
a  level  country,  where  straight  sections  and  horizontal  planes  predominate. 
Its  ruling  grades  are  .008  in  the  direction  from  Ufa  to  Kinel.  where  a  greater 
goods  traffic  is  expected,  and  .010  in  the  reverse  direction;  the  maximum  ra- 
dius for  curves  is  200  sazhens;  39.82''/o  of  its  total  length  is  taken  up  by  hori- 
zontal planes,  and  71.24%  by  straight  sections.  The  Ufa-Zlatoust  section  is  essen- 
tially mountainous,  the  line  has  a  most  irrigular  profile  and  a  great  number  of 
curves.  There  is  a  maximum  grade  of  .0085  in  the  direction  of  the  expected  grea- 
test goods  traffic,  while  the  maximum  radius  of  curves  is  reduced  to  1.50  sazhens; 
horizontal  planes  form  26.66%,  and  straight  sections  54.53%  of  the  total  length. 

The  extreme  eastern  section,  Zlatoust-Cheliabinsk,  is  mostly  hilly,  as  far 
as  the  station  Cherbakul,  whence  it  changes  into  level  country  towards 
Cheliabinsk.  The  line  crosses  the  highest  point  of  the  Ural  chain  between 
the  stations  Zlatoust  and  Urzhumka,  a  section  which  has  also  numerous 
grades  and  curves.  The  maximum  rate  of  both  is  the  same  as  on  the  Ufa-Zla- 
toust line,  but  the  horizontal  planes  form  only  21.30° 'o,  and  the  straight  sections 
55.66%  of  the  total  length.  This  section  is  characterised  by  a  zigzag  of  four  versts 
between  the  stations  of  Zlatoust  and  Urzhumka,  by  which  the  line  ascends  to  the 
princiiial  ridge  of  the  Ural,  having  in  a  direct  line  only  400  sazh.  from  end  to  end. 

The  section,  comprising  a  distance  of  286  versts,  from  the  station  of  Ashi'i 
to  Cherbakul,  intersected  by  the  Ural  chain,  is  mainly  hilly.  The  line  pro- 
ceeds along  rocky  ravines,  winding  its  course  on  the  banks  of  sinuous  moun- 
tain streams,  crossing  cliiTs  through  cuttings  and  passing  alternately  from 
one  side  to  the  other  of  the  rivers  it  meets.  This  district  is  peculiarly  pictur- 
esque and'  with  its  various  constructions  answering  to  local  conditi(ms. 
presents  also  great  technical  interest. 

The  Samara-Zlatoust  line  may  be  divided  into  the  following  four  sections 
in  regard  to  its  economic  position,  industry  and  technical  conditions: 

Prom  Batraki  to  Ufa,  running  a  distance  of  607  versts,  the  line  passes 
through  acountry  whei-e  manufacturing  industi-y  isbutlittledeveloped.andwhere 
the  inhabitants  are  mainly  engaged  in  agriculture  and  cattle  raising.  Beyond 
the  Ufa,  the  line  traverses  a  wooded  district,  where  besides  agriculture  and 
cattle-breeding,  forestry  holds  an  important  position.  Prom  Miniar  to  Mias. 
the  line  runs  a  distance  of  244  versts,  through  a  country  with  a  predomina- 
ting mining  and  metallurgic  industry. 

Beyond  Miiis.  near  Cheliabinsk,  the  countr.\'  is  level,  an<i  tge  population 
is  engaged  in  agriculture  and  cattle-breeding  and.  within  tge  confines  of  the 
eastern  Uriil,  in  gold-mining. 

Along  the  course  of  the  railway,  the  Samara  government  (pup.  2,763.478: 
1,365,215    m.,    1.398.263  f.)  has   tho   most   extensive  trade,  especially  in  grani. 


J 


THK  SAMARA-ZL.VTOrST  RAILWAY. 


83 


wliirli  is  dospatchod  from  all  the  statlnns  of  the  airrieultui-al  zmie.  |M-inci- 
pally  froiu  Sanu'ira,  (^herkasskuya.  BiiKunislan  and  Ahdiiliin). 

The  total  freights  sent  and  received  by  the  stations  situated  within  tiiis 
government  amount  to  40,00().tX)0— 50,000.000  puds,  exclusive  of  frei.srhts  in 
transit.  The  iroods  traffic  on  the  railway  traversinij  the  I'fa  government 
(pop.  2,277, l.'ilS:  l,llt),.")41  m.,  I,lfi0,(il7  f.)  increases  every  year,  in  connexion 
with  the  expansion  of  the  region  under  cultivation  and  with  the  progress  of 
mining  industry.  At  present  the  quantity  of  goods  conveyed  to  and  from  the 
stations  of  the  Ufa  government  exceeds  20.000,000  puds.  The  stations  of  Be- 
lehei-.\ksakovo  and  Pevlekanovo  may  he  lield  to  take  thi'  first  ]ilace  as  re- 
gards grain  ex|)ort. 

The  following  iron-works  situated  along  the  railway  line  also  yield  a  con- 
sideralile  i|uaiitity  of  metal  goods  for  conveyance  liv  rail:   th(;    Simsk   works 


:.r.:o~   si  M.: 


Vii.'i-l.  ;,y 


(Miniar.  .'^imsk  and  Xikolaev)  helonging  to  Mr.  Halash(iv:  the  Katavsk  works 
(I'st-Fvatavsk.  Katav-Ivanov)  of  Prince  Heloselsky-Belozcrsky:  the  Yuruzansk 
works  of  Mr.  Sukhozanet,  ami  the  Government  works  of  the  Zlatoust  district 
(Satkin,  Kiisinsk  and  Zlatoust).  .\11  these  works  produce  pig-iron,  iron  rails  and 
fastenings:  the  Government  works  produce  in  addition  shells  and  side-arms. 
The  Sam.ira-Zlatoust  railway  comprises  a  total  of  .')(;  stations: 
1)  Batraki.  Bullet.  (.i.H^!)'  of  X.  lat.,  18''2:i'  E.  long.,  15(ki  v.  from  St.  Peters- 
burg, 89t)  v.  from  .Moscow,  1057  V.  from  Cheliiibinsk).  The  .station  is  situated  near 


84  CriDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 

the  villa.tri'  I'l'  Halraki  mi  the  riiilit  luiiik  of  tin'  \"(il.i;a.  in  the  S\zriin  ilislrict 
of  the  Siinhirsk  iroverninont,  and  has  a  convenient  wharf  for  steamers  and 
other  craft.  The  village  c-ontains  a  i)o|niiation  of  2..'iiK),  a  rhurcii  and  a 
school.  Many  of  the  peasants  oecu|i,\-  themselves  with  irardeniiiir  and  have 
fine  oi-chai'ds. 

The  naphtha  mast(M-s  X(il)el.  Eiochar  and  lii'iheniian.  have  (•(instrm-ted  lariri' 
reservoirs  near  the  station  for  the  stora.ire  of  naphtha  and  iietroleum.  lo.iKin.oiXi 
puds  of  which  are  hroiiu-|it  here  hy  harires.  whence  they  are  forwarded  by 
the  Syzran-Viaznia  railway  in  special  tanks  to  the  interior  governments.  A 
smaller  (luantity  is  conveyed  further  east  Uy  the  Samara-Zlatoiist  railway. 
Deposits  of  asphalt  occur  alon.i;  the  Vidsra  banks,  which  is  converted 
into  mastic  at  the  factory  established  by  a  company  near  the  villaire  of 
Batraki. 

From  the  station,  the  line  runs  east  alona;  the  ri,ii;ht  bank  of  the  Voltra. 
crossing  the  river  at  the  8-th  vevst  by  the  Alexander  bridire.  so  named  in 
honour  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  II.  This  bridge  is  worthy  of  consideration 
on  account  of  its  dimensions  and  the  technical  details  of  its  construction. 
It  has  l.H  sjians  of  50  sazhens  each,  a  total  length  of  ti.'iO  sazhens  and  a  di- 
stance of  674.125  sazhens  between  abutments.  It  is  built  on  the  double  .girder 
system  with  parallel  chords,  and  road-way  upon  the  lower  chord:  the  rails 
are  laid  on  metal  beams;  the  piers  and  abutments  are  made  of  stone,  and 
the  ice-breakers  are  covered  with  granite  l)rought  from  Finland.  .\ll  the  piers 
are  laid  t)n  caissons,  the  right  abutment  rests  on  the  rock,  while  the  left  is 
supported  on  piles. 

Beyond  the  bridge,  the  line  after  reaching  the  left  bank  nf  the  Vcdga 
passes  through  the  Samara  government  along  the  Vol.ga  vallex .  cmly  cpiitting 
the  river  in  m-der  tn  avoid  sprin;;-  flmids  and  the  engineeriui:-  Wdi-k    involved. 

2)  Obsharovka  (17  v.l  3i  Mylnaya  (32  v.).  4)  Bezenchuk  {M  v.). 
.^)  Tomylovo  (7'.)  v.).  (i)  Lipi^g-i  (101  v.).  7)  Kriazh  (109  v.).  All  these  sta- 
tions are  situated  in  the  Volga  valley.  The  line  here  traverses  a  mountai- 
nous country,  affording  however  favourable  conditions  of  construction. 

Between  the  stations  Bezenchi'ik  and  Tomylovo,  it  crosses  the  river  Mocha 
on  a  bridge  40  sazhens  in  length.  The  stations  of  Obsharovka  and  Kriazh 
have  some  importance,  l)eing  the  points  whence  cattle  and  animal  products 
are  forwarded  from  the  Samara  and  Orenburg  stejipes. 

There  are  several  mills  near  the  station  of  Obsharovka.  producing  an- 
nually about  one  million  jiuds.  Two  steam  flour-mills  belonging  to  Hashkirov 
with  a  (hiily  output  of  .3.000  puds,  stand  near  the  station  Hezenchiik.  rinse 
to  the  station  of  Kriazh  is  the  mill  of  Shikobalov  grinding  about  a  million 
puds  of  grain  a  .\ear.  and  a  shambles  where  about  2(K).(X»  sheep  are  killed 
yearly,  lipon  approaching  Samara,  the  line  runs  closer  to  the  Volga,  and  cros- 
ses its  right  trii)utary,  the  river  Samara,  on  a  liridge  120  sazhens  in  length 
with  three  spans  of  4(1  sazhens  each. 

HI  Samara.  Butlet  (IKi  v.).  The  railway  station  is  situated  near  the 
goveninu'ni  town  of  Samara  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Volga,  at  its  junction 
with  the  river  Samara  (pop.  91,654:  .53    11'  X.  lat.:  19°  46.5'  E.  long.). 

The  Samara  government  contains  an  area  of  1.32.724  square  versts  divi- 
ded into  seven  districts:  Samara.  Stavrojiol.  Hugulminsk,  Buguruslan.  Buzu- 
liik.  Xikolaev.  Xovouzi'-nsk.  Its  surface  otters  scarcely  any  variet.\.  although 
there  is  a  noticeable  diilerence  between  its  northern  and  southern  portions, 
delimited  b.\   the  river  Samfira,  flowing  through  the  government  in  a    nortli- 


I 


THt"  SAMARA  ZI.ATOfST  RAILWAY. 


85 


wi'stcni  ilin-itiiin.  The  northorn  |n)rti(in.  iiu'liidiiiir  the  Huiruliiunsk.  Hiiirii- 
nislan.  Stavrnixil  ami  jiart  of  tho  Sainai-a  ami  Huztih'ik  districts,  is  mnimtai- 
nous:  the  suthern  part,  eomprisini;  the  iTiiiaiiuier  of  the  Samara  and  Huzii- 
liik  distriets,  and  those  of  Xikolaev  and  Xovoiizensk.  presents  a  steppe.  In 
the  north  of  the  siovernment,  the  soil  consists  of  elayey  hhickearth  or  sand. 
The  subsoil  is  formed  of  different  kinds  of  clay  and,  at  some  points,  of 
sandstone  and  limestone.  On  the  south,  in  the  eastern  jiortion  of  the  irovern- 
mrnt,  the   soil  consists  of  sedimentary  rocks,  while  on    the  wi^st,  the    steppe 


Alexander  Bridge  on  the  Vblga. 


is  chiefly  characterised  hy  tertiai'\'  and  more  recent  rormalinns.  In  tile  tii'sl 
instance,  it  is  represented  hy  a  thin  layer  of  aririlaceous  hiackearth  which, 
diminishinii  in  thickness  towards  the  south,  further  on  disai)pears  alto.sether. 
The  banks  of  the  Volga  have  a  sandy  and  hiackearth  soil,  while  in  this  jiart 
of  the  irovernment  the  sul)soil  contains  c1m\'.  limestone  and  ditVerent  kinds 
of  slate. 

The  climate  of  the  Samara  irovernnuMit  is  continental,  the  hiirhest  mean 
temperature  in  .luly  l)i>inir  21.4',  and  the  lowest  in  January,  Ui.2  .  In  its 
southern  portion,  the  heat  and  cold  are  .srreater.  Xear  Samara,  the  Vol.ga  is 
free  of  ice  from  the  Iti-th  .\pril  to  the  l.'Mh  E)ecember:  thus,  the  winter  lasts 
four  months.  The  settlement  of  the  Samara  irovernment.  whose  past  history 
is  closely  connected  with  that  of  the  V()lira  river,  the  chief  water-way  of 
Russia,  dates  from  the  end  of  the  XVI  century.  Its  colonisation  progressed 
rapidly  after  1764.  when  the  Empress  Catherine  II  permitted  the  settle- 
ment of  foreigners  and  dissenters,  granting  thetn  considerable  immunities. 
The  whole  i)oi)ulalion  may  be  ethnographically  divided  into  the  tVillowing 
groups:    1)   the    Russian  Slavonic    village  and  town  jiopulation    forming  (iS"!;: 

2)  the  natives  belonging  to  the  Finnish  race,  and  represented  byMordvii. 
Chuvash.  Votiak  and  Cheremis  (14" o).  inhabiting  the  north  of  the  government: 

3)  the  natives  of  the  Mongolian  race,  the  Tatars  (2"/o):  41  those  of  the  Vogiil 
race,  the  Bashkirs  (S"/n).  and  5)  German  colonists,  forming  about  (S^o)  of  the 
total  population. 

Agriculture  is  the  most  important  industry  in  this  government,  whicli  on 
account  of  its  physical  conditions  is  one  of  the  most  fertile  in  Russia. 


86  GUIDE  TO  THIO  GREAT  SIHKRIAX  RAILWAY. 

rattle-raisiiiii'  is  practisi'd  in  its  sinitlicrn  pDi'lioii,  wliicli  aluiunils  in  pas- 
tures and  salt-inai'shcs.  ManLifat'turcs  are  limited  to  the  eonversion  d'  the 
loeal  raw  materials,  serving  as  an  aid  to  agriculture.  Steam  flour-mills  and 
.sugar  refineries  occupy  the  first  place  among  the  local  factories. 

The  town  of  Samara  stretches  along  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Volga,  and 
being  situated  at  the  spot  where  the  river  causes  the  most  extensive 
spring  floods,  is  justly  considered  one  of  the  finest  of  the  Volga  towns.  Here 
the  river  has  a  breadth  of  6(10 — 7(H)  sazhens  and  turns  westwards,  forming 
the  long  and  narrow  peninsula  called  Samarskaya  Luka  2(K1  v.  in  length. 
The  famous  Zhiguli  hills  commence  at  this  point,  and  run  along  the  right 
bank,  while  the  Sokol  hills  stand  opposite  between  the  rivers  Sok  and 
Samara. 

The  ridges  which  are  intersected  l)y  the  bed  of  the  Volga,  gradually  fall 
towards  the  river,  changing  into  limestone  cliffs  which  have  an  altitude  of 
400  to  700  feet.  Above  Samara,  the  hills  are  wooded  while,  below  the  town, 
they  are  treeless,  and  contain  some  asphalt  seams.  The  mouth  of  the  Samara 
river  forms  a  deep  and  extensive  bay  which  together  with  the  port  can  ac- 
comodate about  .50  vessels.  None  of  the  Volga  towns  afford  more  convenient 
wharves  than  Samara,  situated  as  it  is  close  to  the  river,  which  at  this  point 
has  a  considerable  depth.  The  landing  places  for  passengers  and  light  car- 
goes lie  on  the  Volga,  while  those  for  grain,  furnished  with  a  branch  line, 
are  situated  on  the  Samara  river,  the  grain  being  shipped  direct  from  the 
warehouses.  During  high  water,  vessels  are  enabled  to  come  almost  right 
up  to  the  storehouses,  which  greatly  facilitates  their  loading. 

The  first  colonisation  of  this  spot  dates  from  the  end  of  the  XVI  cen- 
tury (1586),  when  a  stockaded  post  with  earthen  bulwarks  and  ditches  was 
established  here  on  the  confines  of  the  Russian  domains,  for  strategical  con- 
siderations, with  a  view  to  restraining  the  Xogai  and  Ivirgiz-Kaisak  tribes 
and  the  Free  Cossacks.  According  to  an  existing  legend,  the  Moscow  Metro- 
politan St.  Alexis,  on  his  way  to  the  Golden  Horde  in  1357,  visited  the  site 
of  the  present  town,  and  finding  there  a  pious  hermit,  gave  him  his  bles- 
sing and  foretold  the  founding  of  a  great  town.  A  stone  chapel  has  been 
built  on  the  banks  of  the  Volga  in  commemoration  of  this  event.  In  16S8, 
the  military  post  was  transformed  into  a  town,  which  for  a  long  time  be- 
longed to  the  Simbirsk  government.  The  Samara  government  was  crea- 
ted in  18,50.  The  rapidly  growing  town  contains  two  cathedrals  called  re- 
spectively Voznesenie  and  Kazan,  22  orthodox  churches,  the  monastery  of 
St.  Nicholas,  the  nunnery  of  Our  Lady  of  Iberia,  a  dissenting  cha])el.  four 
sectarian  prayer-houses  and  a  Mohammedan  mosque.  The  number  of  houses 
exceeds  six  thousand,  1362  of  which  are  of  stone. 

There  is  a  stone  theatre,  and  over  40  schools.  .Vmnng  the  latter  are  two 
gymnasiums  for  boys  and  girls,  the  professional  school  of  the  lunperor 
Alexander  the  Hlessed,  a  technical  railway  school,  a  seminary,  a  clergy 
school,  a  diocesan  school  for  girls,  a  school  for  the  education  of  village  wo- 
men teachers,  a  local  school  for  assistant  surgeons  and  midwives,  and  seve- 
ral elementary  parish  and  urban  schools.  Among  the  charitable  institutions 
and  societies,  the  most  imjiortant  are:  a  humane  society,  the  local  admini- 
stration and  the  ladies'  committee  of  the  Red  Cross  Society,  the  Society  for 
the  Relief  of  the  Poor,  and  the  Mary  Soldiers'  Children's  Home:  the  Alexis 
Children's  Home,  the  Xicholas  Orphanage,  a  foundling  hospital,  a  night  re- 
fuge, a  workhouse,  a  committee  of  Orthodox  missionaries,  and  three  poorhous- 


THK  SAMAKA-ZLATUlSr  RAILWAY.  87 

cs.  There  is  a  local  hospital  with  250  beds,  with  a  l.\  in,i:-in  room,  and  a 
bafteriolog'ieal  siatioii,  a  lunatic  asyhini  within  in  versts  of  the  town,  ami  a 
railway  hospital. 

A  bronze  monument  to  the  Emperor  Alexander  IT,  after  the  design  of  the 
.Vcadcniician  Shciwood.  stands  in  the  Alexis  sijuare:  the  pedestal  is  of  Fin- 
nish irranite.  Symbolic  liuurcs  stand  at  the  feet  of  the  Tsar-Liberator,  repre- 
senting the  four  most  important  events  of  his  reign:  the  liberation  of  the 
serfs,  the  subjugation  of  the  Caucasus,  the  liberation  of  the  Slavonic  tribes, 
and  the  conquest  of  Central  Asia. 

Banks:  branches  of  the  State  Bank,  of  the  Nobles'  Land  Bank,  of  the 
Peasants'  Laud  Hank,  and  of  the  Volga-Kama  Commei'cial  Hank,  and  the 
."^ainara  Town  Hank.  Private  credit  institutions  of  Samara  and  its  environs: 
the  Samara  Mutual  Credit  Co.,  the  Samara  District  Branch  Board  of  the  Mu- 
tual Land  Credit  Co.  and  the  Volga  Bankers  and  Commissioners  Associations 
tiffice:  the  banks  of  Serbulov,  Xikonov.  Kalachov  and  the  village  banks  in 
the  Samara,  Xikolaev,  and  Xovouzcnsk  districts. 

Periodicals:  1)  non-official:  Samara  (iazette  (dail,\ ),  Samara  Messenger, 
Samara   .\dvertiser.   2)   Official:   Government   Gazette,  Diocesan  Gazette. 

The  Alexander  Public  Library,  the  reading  room  of  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander II  and  the  Samara  Museum  are  ojien  every  day  (on  working  days  from 
9  to  1  and  from  4  to  9  in  the  evening,  on  holidays  from  9  to  12).  A  society 
for  the  encourawinent  of  education  exists  in  Samara  since  187.^.  The  Society 
of  Doctors  and  that  of  Musical  and  Dramatic  Amateurs  date  from  1882. 

Hotels:  Eurojiean,  Central.  Theatrical.  Clubs:  Nobles' Assembl,\'.  Merchants' 
.\ssemhly. 

There  is  a  kumys  sanatorium  near  the  town. 

The  history  of  the  town  is  marked  by  the  following  events: 

D  The  visit  of  the  Emiieror  Alexander  the  Blessed  on  the  8—9  Septem- 
ber in  1S24.  He  arrived  on  a  steamer  by  the  V(jl<ra,  attended  by  a  brilliant 
suite,  on  His  way  to  Orenbur.g. 

2)  The  solemn  opening  of  the  first  government  zemstvo  meeting  by  N.  P. 
Mansurov,  governor  of  Samara,  on  the  28  February  1865. 

;i)  The  arrival  of  the  Tsar  Liberator,  the  Emperor  Alexander  NikoUievich 
with  the  (irand  Duke  Tsesarevich,  the  future  Tsar  Pacificator  and  the  Grand 
Duke  Vladimir  .Vlexandrovich  on  the  29  August  1871. 

The  construction  of  a  railway  to  Orenburg  and  Zlatoust  tnxnsformed 
Samara  into  one  of  the  most  important  grain,  cattle  and  tallow  marki'ts  of 
the  Empire.  The  opening  of  the  traffic  on  the  great  Siberian  Railway  still 
further  increased  the  importance  of  this  town,  which  became  a  centre  for 
freights  coming  from  the  Far  East  and  Central  Asia.  The  market  of  Sa- 
mAra  attracts  a  great  quantity  of  .grain,  which  is  brought  by  rail,  by  water 
along  the  Volga  and  Samara,  and  by  road  from  the  adjacent  villages  of  the 
Samara,  Bui^urushin.  Nikolaevsk  and  Xovouzensk  districts.  The  total  yearly 
dealinirs  in  grain  in  Samara  amount  to  about  IS.OrtO.OfK)  puds,  includint;  al)out 
r2.(3tWOO  puds  of  wheat.  There  are  private  granaries  in  the  town  containing 
about  12.000,000  puds,  and  others,  situated  on  the  Samara  river,  near  the 
branch  line,  containing  about  7.000.000  puds.  Upon  the  openini:  of  navigation. 
the  grain  accumulated  in  Samara  is  loaded  on  barges  and  forwarded  to  the 
towns  <d'  Kazan.  Xizhni-.Xovirorod,  Rybinsk  and  other  commercial  cen- 
tres. Thus  Samara  is  a  grain  dei)ot.  but  is  not  a  centre  for  its  conveyance 
by  rail. 

6a 


88  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

The  grain  of  tlic  Samtira  market  is  jiurchased  not  only  hy  local  mer- 
chants, but  also  by  strangers.  Among  the  latter  the  most  important  are:  the 
St.  Petersburg  Export  Trade  Company  of  Brandt  and  Co.,  Messrs  Polezhaev, 
who  in  1897  puehased  about  l.tKXi.OO)  puds  of  grain:  the  Bashkirovs  of  Nizhni- 
Novgorod:  Blinov  (purchaser  of  l.SW.fKTO  puds),  the  Rostovskys  of  the  Rus- 
sian Company  of  Export  Trade:  Vagliano  (jiurchaser  of  910.000  puds):  l)i-eifus 
and  Co.  of  Paris  (puc baser  of  590.000  puds). 

Samara  drawing  its  grain  supplies  from  all  the  Samara-Zlatoust  line  and 
the  Orenburg  branch  line,  is  at  the  same  time  the  centre  of  the  wheat  flour 
trade  on  the  Volga:  besides  imported  flour,  its  mills  situated  in  the  environs 
of  the  town  produce  an  average  of  lO.ttXt.OOO  puds  of  flour  yearly.  These 
miUs  belong  to  the  following  firms:  Shikobalov,  Bashkirov,  Romashov.  Kra- 
sikov,  Shadri'n.  The  sale  of  the  flour  and  grain  is  mainly  effected  in  summer 
■to  the  Volga  towns,  whither  they  are  conveyed  in  steamers  in  considerable 
quantities. 

\n  elevator  on  the  bin  system  holding  .300,000  puds  of  grain,  supplied 
with  machinery  for  loading,  is  situated  near  the  railway  station. 

From  Samara  station,  the  line  proceeds  along  the  river  of  the  same 
name. 

9)  Smyshll^evka.  (136  versts).  Ha\-ing  crossed  the  river  Padovka  on 
a  bridge  K)  sazhens  in  length,  the  line  ascends  the  hills  and  having  reached 
the  siding  Padovka.  situated  at  their  highest  point,  descends  from  this  alti- 
tude and  crosses  the  river  Great  Kinel,  a  tributary  of  the  Samara,  by  a 
bridge  60  sazhens  in  length. 

10)  Klnel.  Buffet  (155  v.).  Prom  here  a  branch  line  runs  south-west  for 
a  distance  of  3.53  versts  towards  the  town  of  Orenburg.  This  branch  com- 
mences its  course  on  the  right  bank  nf  the  Samara,  and  traverses  the  eleva- 
tion between  the  rivers  Samara  and  Kulutiik,  the  latter  being  a  tributary  of 
the  Kinel.  Fui'ther  on,  it  crosses  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Samara  by  a  bridge 
of  100  sazhens  long  near  the  town  of  Buzuluk,  and  reaches  the  source  of 

.  this  river  near  the  station  Perevolotskaya,  situated  on  the  waterslied  of  the 
Samara  and  Ural.  Here  the  line  commences  its  ascent  and  reaches  the  Oren- 
burg government  along  the  slope  of  the  Obshchi  Syrt.  Coming  to  its  highest 
point  at  the  304  verst,  the  line  descends  toward  Orenburg. 

The  greater  portion  of  this  branch  line  is  included  within  the  confines 
of  the  Samara  government,  and  terminates  in  the  north-western  corner  of 
the  Orenburg  government,  within  a  distance  of  63  versts  from  the  frontier 
of  Samara.  Throughout  its  entire  course,  the  line  runs  through  a  steppe 
country,  where  the  population  is  mainly  engaged  in  agriculture  and  cattle 
breeding.  The  following  stations  are  the  most  important  on  the  line  as  re- 
gards the  quantity  of  forwarded  freights: 

1)  B6rskaya  station  (74  v.  from  Kinel),  situated  near  the  trading  vill- 
age of  Biirskoye  with  a  population  of  4.00(1,  belonging  to  the  Huguruslan 
district  (irrain). 

2)  Buzuluk  (129  V.  from  Kinel),  within  2  versts  of  the  town  of  the  same 
name  with  a  population  of  14,000  (grain,  flour  and  meat). 

3)  Sarochlnskaya  (194  v.  from  KimM)  near  the  great  trading  villai:'' 
of  the  samt'  name  with  a  jiopidation  of  6.(X)0.  in  the  Buzuluk  district  (grain, 
flour,  buckwheat  moal,  millet). 

41  Orenbilrg'  (51°45'  N.  lat.  and  24°46.5'  E.  long.:  pop.  72.74(i),  (grain, 
flour,  millet,  tallow,  leather,  wool,  cotton.). 


THE  SAMARA-ZLATOIST  RAIL'S' AY.  89 

Orenburg,  which  forinei-ly  i>l;i,V(>il  an  iniportaiu  part  in  tho  histury  of 
Russia's  occupation  of  Central  Asia,  lost  its  importance  as  a  strategical  base 
after  the  conquest  of  Tashkent  and  Turkestan,  and  since  1865.  wliich  is  the 
date  of  the  organisatiiHi  of  the  Orenburg  government,  became  an  ordinary 
government  town. 

The  line  connecting  it  witji  tiie  other  railways  of  the  Empire  somewhat 
•contributed  to  the  development  of  its  trade  and  industry.  However,  the  ope- 
ning of  traffic  on  the  Transcaspian  line  soon  diminished  the  commercial 
importance  of  this  town:  cotton  and  other  Central-Asiatic  goods  are  now 
mostly  conveyi>(l  by  this  line,  and  Orenburg  no  longer  acts  as  a  medium 
between  the  interior  and  the  Central  Asiatic  markets. 

The  execution  of  the  proposed  plan  to  connect  by  rail  the  town  of  Oren- 
l)urg  with  Tashkent,  will  again  raise  the  commercial  importance  of  Orenbiirg, 
and  call  to  life  the  productive  forces  of  the  Steppe  region,  lying  in  the  nor- 
thei'n  part  of  the  Aralo-Caspian  i>lain. 

From  the  station  of  Kinel.  the  Samara-Zlatoust  line  proceeding  further 
east  follows  the  valley  of  the  river  Great  Kinel  till  its  junction  with  tlie 
river  Kisia  near  the  station,  of  Zagladino  i.SOti  v.i 

Hi  Turgenevka.  (169  v.)  Approaching  the  next  station,  the  line  cro.sses 
the  river  Kutuliik.  a  tril)utary  of  the  Kini'l,  by  a  bridge  2,')  sazhens  in  length. 

12i  Krdlovka.  HutVei  Il90  v.)  The  Timashov  retinery  of  the  State  Do- 
mains is  situated  witiiin  S  versts  of  the  station.  This  refinery  produces  brown 
and  loaf  sugar  (about  600.000  puds)  from  beetroot  of  local  growth  and  from 
brown  sugar  imjiorted  in  considerable  quantity  from  the  neighbouring  govern- 
ments The  refinery  is  united  by  a  branch  line  to  the  Krotovka  station. 

.\'a|)btha  received  from  Samara  is  employed  as  fuel  in  the  production  of 
sugar.  Another  sugar  refinery  is  situated  .40  versts  from  the  first,  near  the 
station  Hogatoye,  on  the  Kinel  Orenburg  line,  belonging  to  the  Bogatovsk 
Sugar  Reiining  Company,  The  operations  of  this  refinery,  owning  2,(XX) 
desiatins    of  beetroot,   are  being  still  further  developed. 

The  Krotovka-Sergievksk  narrow-gauge  railway  branch  runs  a  distance 
of  80  V.  fi-om  the  station  of  Kr()tnvka  to  the  supernunicrary  town  of  Sergievsk 
(pop.  4.0<Ki)of  the  Huguruslan  district,  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Sergievsk 
mineral  springs  (pop.  1500). 

Among  the  Russian  waters,  the  Sergievsk  springs  are  remarkable  as 
containing  a  great  percentage  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen  and  for  their  strong 
effects.  The  tem]>erature  of  the  mineral  water  is  6  I2';  it  produces  the  same 
results  as  the  springs  of  the  Caucasus,  and  has  like  properties  to  those  of 
Aix-la-Chapelle  and  Xeudorf.  Several  doctors  reside  there  during  the  season, 
which  is  from  the  1.5-th  May  to  the  15-th  August.  A  bath  costs  50  kop.,  a 
shower  bath— 25  k..  a  mud  bath — 75  k..  a  slime  bath  R.  1.  There  are  rooms 
at  the  rate  of  from  R.  10  to  R.  20  a  month,  and  family  lodgings  of  R.  20  and 
upwards,  with  furniture  and  attendance. 

On  its  way  to  the  next  station,  the  line  crosses  the  river  Kurtannik,  a 
tributary  of  t)ie  Kinel.  by  a  bridge  10  sazhens  long. 

13)  Mukhdnovo.  (204  v.) 

14)  Cherkdsskaya.  Buffet.  (220  v.)  The  large  commercial  village  of 
Cherkiisskaya  in  tin-  Huiruruslan  district,  with  a  population  of  s.(XK)  lies 
2  versts  from  the  station.  It  is  the  centre  of  the  local  grain,  mainly  rye  trade, 
whence  the  grain  is  forwarded  to  Samara.  There  is  a  special  granary  near 
the  station,  holding  90.000  puds. 


90  GUIDE  TO  THK  HRKAT  SIlilOKIAN  HAILWAY. 

Proceeding  from  tho  station  eastwards,  thi'  line  crosses  the  river  Little 
Kinel  by  a   bridjre  30  sazhens  lonir. 

15)  Kliuchl.  (244  V.) 

16)  Pdkhvisnevo.  Buffet  (2(«)  v.) 

17)  Bug-urusldn.  HutlVt  |2s.")  v.i 

The  tlistrirt  tnwn  (if  Hugunislan.  helonirini;-  Id  the  Samara  government,  is 
situated  at  a  distance  of  3  versts  from  the  station,  (53°39'  \.  lat.,  22°27'  E. 
long.;  pop.  20.000)  It  stands  on  a  fiat  elevation,  surrounded  by  mountains 
on  three  sides,  on  the  ri.ght  side  of  the  Kinel,  at  its  junction  with  the  Tar- 
khanlca. 

The    lar,i;t>    village    of    Hugurushin    was    founded  in  174S    and    created   a 
town  in  1797.  It  contains  two    churches,  two  hos|)itals,  a   clergy   school,   and 
urban  school  ^^'ith  three  classes,  a  preparatory  gymnasium  for  girls,  and  two, 
parish   schools;  the  Pokrov  nunnery  with   three   churches,   founded  in   1874-5 
Grain  is  the  principal  article  of  trade:  it  is   brought  to  the   town,   not   only  ' 
from  the  neighbourhood,  but  also  from  the  contiguous  Bugulmin  and  Buzuh'ik 
districts.  Some  of  the  local  traders  are  in  direct  relations  with   the   ports   of  j 
St.  Petersburg.  Libiiva  and  Revel.  Great  quantities  of,  in  the  main,  rye   flourj 
amounting  to  as  much  as  300,000  puds,  are  ground  by  Shuvalov"s  water  mill,,! 
.About  400.000  puds  of  unhuUed  buckwheat  meal  are  annually  forwarded  fromf 
this  point.  A  granary  holding  OO.CXX)  puds  of  grain  is  situateil  near  the  station. 

18)  Zagfl^dino.  (306  v.).  After  passing  over  the  river  Kinel  by  a  bridge 
30  sazhens  long,  tiie  line  proceeds  along  tiie  valley  of  the  Kisla,  and  gra- 
dually ascends  to  the  watershed  of  the  Volga  and  K;'ima. 

19)  Alexeyevo.  (3i(i  v.). 

20)  E16n  (Filippovka).  (33.5  v.). 

21)  SarS^i-Gir.  (353  v.).  Reaching  here  tlie  highest  piunt  of  the  water- 
shed, the  line  descends  to  the  next  statinn. 

22)'  Abdulino.  Buffet  (374  v.).  Previous  to  the   construction   of   the   Sar,,l 
mara-Zlatuust   line,  an   insignificant  Bashkir  village,  taking  no  part  in  trade,|j 
was  situated  on  the  spot  where  the  station  stands  at  present.  Its  geographi-j 
cal   position   in    a   fertile  and  cultivated  region,  at  some  distance  from  com- 
mercial centres  (Buguruslan  90  v..  Belebei  .54  v.  the  village  of  Sorochinskoyej 
150  V.  to  the  south)  soon  transformed  the  small  Bashkir  village   into   an  im« 
portant  corn  market,  where  mainly  agricultural  products  are  offered  for  sal^ 
At  the   present  time  the  population  of  the  village  of  Abdulino  exceeds  2,0 
grain  is  brought  to  this  jtdint.  especially  in  the  winter  time,  from  the  Bugul-^ 
ininsk,  Belebei  and  Buzuluk  districts.  Besides  the   local   merchants,  corn-tra- 
ders from   St.  Petersburg,   Revel    and    Riga    come   to    this  village.  A.irents  of  ..| 
different   manufacturing   fjrms   are  to  be  met  here,  and  the  Russian  Trading, 
Bank  is  startin.g  operations  by  advancing  money  on  duplicates  of  way-bills. 
The  greater  portion   of  the  grain   exported  is  rye.  which  forms  70". o  of  th» 
whole,  and  is  forwarded  direct  to  tl\e  ports.  .V  considerable    quantity   of  rye 
flour  is  also  exported.  Four  water-mills   with    a   grinding   capacity   of   about 
1,200.000  puds  of  rye  per  annum,  are  situated  near  the   station.  They   belong 
to  the  merchants  Markov.  Sviridov,  Rogov,  Zhidkov  and  others.  Great  freights 
of  buckwheat,   grown   within   the  range  of  the  Samara-Zlatoust  line,  are  an- 
nually forwarded  from  this  station.  A  steam  wheat-flour  mill  producing  about 
tiOii  jnids  a  day,  and  buckwheat  shelling  mills,  belonging  to   Rogov,  Sviridov 
and  others,  are   also    situated    close  to  the  station.  The  export  of  buckwheat 
is  effected  in  very  large  (|uantities;   good    harvests    yield    occasion.illy    about 


THE  SAMARA-ZLATOtST  RAILWAY. 


91 


75i).00()  puds  of  this  iirain.  Two  granaries  holdinj;  30,000  piuls  eacli.  aiv  si- 
tuated near  the  station. 

From  the  station  of  Alidiilino.  the  line  resumes  its  ascent  to  tlie  water- 
slied  of  the  rivers  Kama  and  Belaya,  and  crossing  the  river  lie  on  a  liridire 
I'l  sazhens  lonir.  enters  the  confines  of  the  Uf;\  government. 

•2.i)  Taldy-Buiak.  (892  v.). 

■24)  Priulovo.  I  (lis  v.). 

2.->)  Belebei-Aksakovo.  BulTet  (427  v.). 

The  district  town  of  Belebei  (54^  7'  X.  lat.,  23°  52V2'  E.  long;  pop.  5,161) 
of  the  Ufa  government,  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Bclebeika 
river,  within  ten  versts  of  the  station.  This  iilace  was  first  settled  in  1745. 
The  district  town  of  Belt'ht'i  was  founded  in  17Sl:it  was  suiierseded  in  1797, 
and  reestablished  in  1M)2.  The  town  contains  ()71  liouses,  only  six  of  which 
are  of  stone,  5  churches  (four  of  stone,  1  of  wood),  one  Mohammedan  mosque, 
"ne  parish  school,  two  schools  belonging  to  the  church,  and  a  hospital. 


Bridge  over  the  river  Belaya  (phot,  by  Arstntiev). 

The  town  revenue  is  R.  24..596.  Its  inhabitants  are  mainly  engaged  in 
.i-:iculture  or  small  trade.  Manufactures  do  not  exist,  and  the  town  has 
scarcely  any  commercial  importance.  The  station  is  in  a  more  favourable 
conditicin,  surrounded  as  it  is  by  cultivable  land,  wliose  i)roducts  go  to  feed 
the  railway,  and  exports  a  considerable  ijuantiiy  of  grain.  The  corn  is  chiefly 
purchased    by    local   merchants,  among   them    the    firm    of  Rogov  carries  on 


92  GUIDE  TO  THE  GRK.VT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

trade  with  the  ports,  sendiiii;'  the  lii'ain  direct  to  its  destination.  A  conside- 
rable (luantity  of  rye  flour  is  exported  from  this  point,  after  havintc  been 
ground  in  small  water  mills  of  most  primitive  construction.  It  is  bought  up 
straight  fi-om  tlie  village  earts. 

20)  Glukhovskaya.  (444  v.). 

Here  tthe  line  reaches  the  highest  point  of  the  watershed  of  the  rivers 
Kama  and  Hi'daya,  and  commences  its  descent  to  the  Belaya. 

27)  Aksenovo.  (404  v.).  From  this  station  to  Ufa,  the  line  for  a  distance 
of  143  V.  follows  the  valley  of  the  river  Dema,  the  left  tributary  of  the  Be- 
laya. The  river  is  scantily  supplied  with  water  and  not  navigable.  Its  pictu- 
resque and  steep  banks  consist  of  friable  schistous  sandstone,  containing  cop- 
per ores,  those  of  Karakalin.sk  being  the  most  important.  Remains  of  Chud 
mines  occur  along  the  banks.  The  jiicturesque  banks  of  the  Dema  with  their 
oak  and  linden  groves  were  sung  by  S.  T.  Aksakov. 

28)  Shalrdnovo.  (479  v.').'  On  its  course  to  the  next  station,  the  line 
crosses  a  tributary  of  'the  Dema,  the  river  Kyly  by  a  bridge  25  sazhens 
in  length. 

29)  R^evka.'^Buffet  (499  v.).  Between  this  and  the  next  station  the  line 
passes  over  a  bridge  of  20  sazhens  spanning  the  river  Tiub'^n.  a  tributary  of 
the  Dema. 

30)  Davlekdnovo.  (.517  v.).  The  station  is  situated  near  a  small  Bash- 
kir settlement,  Itkiilovo  which,  jirevious  to  the  opening  of  the  railway  traffic, 
had  no  commerce  of  its  own;  at  the  present  time  Itkulovo  is  transformed 
into  a  corn  market.  Trade  is  carried  on  exclusively  in  winter.  A  s]ierial 
granary  holding  30,000  puds  of  grain  stands  near  the  station.  A  number  of 
estates  with  considerable  areas  under  cultivation  lie  in  the  neighbourliood 
of  the  station. 

Ap|)roaching  the  next  station,  the  line  traverses  the  river  Urdiak,  a  tri- 
butary of  tile  D/'ina,  by  a  bridge  25  sazhens  long. 

31)  Shing-^k-Kul.  Buffet  (539  v.).  Pursuing  its  course  to  the  next  sta- 
tion, the  line  crosses  the  river  Balyshly,  tributary  of  the  Dema,  by  a  bridge 
of  10  sazhens. 

32)  Chishma.  (563  v.).  Further  on.  it  passes  over  the  tributaries  of  the 
Dema,  the  rivers  Kolomysh  and  Uza  spanned  by  bridges  of  20  sazhens  each. 

A  peculiar  geological  phenomenon  called  ..funnels"  is  observed  tiiroughout 
the  whole  course  of  the  line  Chishma-Yumatovo-Ufa-L'rakovo.  These  funnels 
are  produced  by  the  sudden  sinking  of  the  surface,  forming  pits  of  conside- 
rable dimensions.  An  immense  funnel  having  a  diameter  of  15  sazhens  and 
a  depth  of  10  sazhens  is  to  be  seen  6  versts  from  Ufa  on  the  way  to 
Unikovo. 

Xew  funnels  appear  every  year  in  sprin.g  and  summer,  and  are  a  usual 
occurrence  at  the  time  of  the  spring  floods.  It  has  Jbecn  observed  that  the 
strata  of  the  Permian  system,  generally  containing  a  great  number  of  caves, ' 
are  liable  to  sink.  The  limestone  mountains  rising  above  the  Belaya  abound 
in  natural  caves  among  which  those  of  Baislan  and  Shulliugin  consist  of  a 
number  of  supei-posed  iioUows  united  by  passages. 

33j  Yum^LOVO  (580  V.J  .\pproaching  the  next  station  UlVi.liie  line  cros- 
ses the  river  Belaya  spanned  by  a  bridge  of  300  sazhens,  having  six  spans 
of  50  sazhens  each  of  the  semi-parabolic  system,  with  the  track  upon  the 
lower  chord;  the  i)iers  and  abutments  are  laid  on  caissons  lowered  to  a  depth 
of  8.14   sazhens  below  the  ordinary  water  level. 


I 


THK  SAMARA-ZLATOUST  RAILWAY. 


93 


The  i-ourse  of  the  river  Belaya,  called  Ak-lsyl  by  the  Bashkirs,  flowing 
on  the  left  into  the  Kama,  is  about  1,000  versts  long.  The  country  along  its 
upptM-  reaches,  between  the  branches  of  the  Unil  and  Bugulch;in,  is  moun- 
tainou.s;  the  cliffs  on  the  banks  consist  mainly  of  chloi-ite  and  mica  slate, 
gneiss  and  partly  of  limestone  of  the  silurian  system.  Picturesque  and  wo- 
oded mountains  abounding  in  caves  siu'round  the  basin  of  this  river;  copper 
and  iron  works  are  established  on  its  tributaries.  Limestone  of  the  carboni- 
ferous system  occurs  plentifully  between  Bugulchan  and  Sterlitomak;  on  its 
lower  reaches,  especially  nearer  to  Ufa,  gypsum,  marl  and  sandstone  of  the 
permian  system  are  the  predominating  rocks.  The  left  bank  is  low,  the  right 
has  a  higher  level.  The  river  has  a  very  sinuous  coiu'se  and  riear  Ufa  a  breadth 
of  80  sazhens.  which  further  on  widens  to  175  and  2,yj  sazhens.  Its  waters 
are  navigable  from  the  Beloretsk  works,  within  70  versts  of  its  mouth:  there 
is  regular  navigation  for  passengers  and  freights  throughout  the  summer 
from  Ufa.  <in  the  average,  the  ice  en  tlio  river  bi-eaks  upi)ythell  April  and 
freezes  again  by  the  4  November. 

341  Um.  Buffet  (607). 

The  railway  station  is  pictiu-esquely  situated  near  the  government  town 
of  Ufii,  nnthe  right  elevated  bank  of  the  Belaya  at  its  junction  with  the  Ufa 
(54-4H'  X.  lat.,  2.">^37.5'  E.  long.:  pop.  50.576.). 

The  vast  territory  i-mliracing  the  I'fa  government  (107.217  sq.  v.)  and 
part  of  the  contiguous  Orenburg,  Samara,  Perm  and  Vi:itka  governments,  in- 
cluded in  the  Russian  dominions  towards  the  end  of  the  XVI-th  century,  is 
known  under  the  name  of  Bashkiria,  derived  from  the  name  of  the  Bashkirs, 
who  have  inhabited  this  region  since  a  remote  date.  The  land  of  the  Bash- 
kirs became  known  to  the  Russians  since  thf  Mongol  conquest.  However,  their 
nearer  accpiaintance  with  tiiis  country  dates  from  the  time  when  the  Mosco- 
vite  government  was  struggling  for  the  possession  of  the  Horde  of  Kazan. 
Wearied  by  internal  and  family  dissensions,  persecuted  by  the  Kirgiz-Kaisaks, 
and  seeing  the  growing  power  of  Moscow,  the  Bashkirs  voluntarily  submit- 
ted to  Russian  dominion,  and  paid  in  1.557  tlieir  first  tribute  in  furs,  called 
-yasiik".  Ufa  was  the 
first  Russian  town  foun- 
ded in  Bashkiria  for  col- 
lectingyasak.  Ivan  Xagtii 
was  the  founder  of  this 
town.  The  date  of  its 
foundation  is  not  posi- 
tively known;  however 
it  is  supposed  that  it 
was  between  1573  and 
1586.  According  to  an 
ancient  tradition,  an  old 
Tatar  town  with  the  sa- 
me name  of  Ufa  was  si- 
tuated on  the  site  of  the 
present  town;  remains  of 
earthworks,  now  caMed 
the  Devil's  mound,  testify 

to  its  former  existence.  With  the  foundation  of  Ufa,  the  Russians  were  securely 
»»stablished  in  Bashkiria  and  then  began  the  colonisation  of  this  country.  The 


Types  of  Bashkirs. 


94 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


lroi|uent  revolts  of  the  Bashkirs,  joined  in  by  almost  the  whole  of  the  native 
l)o|)ulation,  especially  in  1(502,  during  the  Seit  rebellion,  and  in  1708,  assumed 
considerable  proportions,  and  led  to  the  institution  of  military  Cossack  settle- 
ments, which  were  organised  in  the  reign  nf  the  Empress  Anna  liy  Xepliuev. 
a  statesman  of  Peter's  school. 

Private  mining  industry  was  established  in  the  L'ral  lJaslikiri;i  lui  the 
initiative  of  Nepliuev,  which  greatly  contributed  to  the  colonisation  of  the 
country.  In  1760,  28  factories,  including  15  copper  and  13  iron  works  were  in 
full  operation,  with  a  Russian  population  of  20.0(X)  men.  Although  the  Bash- 
kirs joined  in  the  Pugachov  revolt  and  in  other  mutinies  of  the  Volga  in- 
habitants,  still   they   were  pacified   towards  the  end    of   the   XVIII   century. 

and  emi)loyed  in  1798  as 
irregular  troops,  special- 
ly formed  for  maintai- 
ning military  cordons 
along  the  Orenburg  fron- 
tier. 

This  army  of  natives. 
as  well  as  the  irre- 
gular Cossack  cavalry, 
became  famous  during 
the  campaign  of  1812— 
1S13;  the  French  called 
them  the  Cupids  of  the 
North  on  account  of  the 
effectiveness  of  their 
arrow  shots.  Since  1863. 
the  Bashkirs  have  been 
put  on  the  same  footing 
with  the  rest  of  the 
country  population  and,  after  the  disbanding  of  the  Bashkir  troojis  in  1874. 
they  have  all  become  subject  to  obligatory  military  service. 

The  origin  of  the  Bashkirs  is  not  yet  scientifically  ascertained.  Some  su|)- 
pose  that  they  descend  from  the  Ugro-Finnish  race  and  only  in  course  of 
time  acquired  the  Mongol  type,  others  believe  that  they  are  Voguls.  who  repre- 
sent one  of  the  Ugor  tribes,  or  form  part  of  the  great  Altai  family,  to  whom 
belong  also  the  ^Magyars.  The  present  Bashkirs  have  two  marked  types.  One 
is  the  more  common  Kalmyk  or  Mongol  type  characteristic  of  the  stei)pe  Bash- 
kirs, recognised  by  a  large  and  flat  face,  by  a  broad  and  straight  nose 
or  by  one  bent  in  at  the  root:  they  have  a  protruding  chin,  a  large  head,  and 
arc  of  middle  size.  The  other,  which  is  more  like  the  Caucasian  type,  and 
common  to  many  Central-Asiatic  nations,  is  characterised  by  a  hooked  nose, 
a  marked  jirofile  and  high  stature;  these  are  the  fcu'est  Bashkirs,  inhabiting 
such  mountainous  and  wooded  regions  as  are  situated  at  the  source  of  the 
Belaya. 

All  the  Bashhirs  are  Mohammedans.  The  majority  of  them  read  and  write 
Tatar,  thanks  to  the  efforts  of  the  clergy  attached  to  a  great  number  of 
mosques  scattered  all  over  Bashkiria.  They  are  provided  with  a  certain  (luantity 
of  land,  and  pursuing  agriculture  and  cattle-breeding  are  settled  in  groups, 
forming  small  villages.  In  spring,  they  leave  their  crowded  and  smoky  huts 
and  live  in  felt  ,kibitkas".  which  tliey  pitch  in   fields  and  pastures,   forming 


Types  of  MordvS  women. 


THE  SAMARA-ZLATOIST  RAILWAY.  95 

their  common  i>roi)oiiy.  The  poorest  amonsr  tlifin  h;ivi>  siimmor  ihvellinirs  made 
of  lime  hast.  Tlu'x  usually  wear  the  same  costume  as  the  Tatars.  The  VfX 
government  contains  a  total  of  about  one  million  Bashkirs.  The  minority  of 
the  native  iiopulation  of  L'ia  is  represented  by  Teptiars  and  Meshcheriaks, 
who  mostly  live  in  the  north  of  the  government.  Their  mode  of  life  differs 
but  little  from  that  of  the  Bashkirs,  but  they  are  at  a  much  lower  stage  of 
civilisation,  and  are  heathens.  The  whole  of  the  population,  comprisinsi-  2.277,15.s 
souls,  is  distril)Ute(l  amon.ir  the  six  followin'i-  districts:  Ufa.  Belebei.  Birsk. 
Zlatoust,  Menzeinsk  and  Sterlitomak.  Of  these,  1O.5.007  reju-esent  the  town 
population;  there  are  Wl.l'il  Russian  peasants  and  1,059.126  Bashkirs,  Te])- 
tiiirs  and  Meshcheriaks.  The  remainder  includes  smaller  ethnographical  groups. 
The  greater  portion  of  the  inhabitants  are  Mohammedans,  namely  1,1.51,198;  there 
are  994..508  orthodox;  100,029  heathens.  4.S12  dissenters,  l.:U2  catholics,  765  lu- 
therans  and  722  jews.  The  Ufa  government  occupies  the  south-eastern  part 
of  Kuropean  Russia,  and  is  one  of  the  central  Volga  governments  belonging 
to  the  fertile  zone.  According  to  the  last  local  statistics,  the  land  is  divided 
as  follows: 

„,;,__,,_.,._  Fields  and  pas-  „  I'ncultivable  .„   .„    , 

DISTRICTS.  turcindesiaiins.  Forests.  ,and.  T0T.\L. 

ItVi 644,696.4  1,090,327.1  68,138.4  1,803,161.9 

Birsk 862.550.5  1.278.329.9  95,989.2  2,286,869.6 

Menzehnsk 707.436.4  .3as..5.S0.5  69.557.2  1,165,574.1 

Belebei 1,390,68.3.2  547,497.4  12.3.401.4  2.061.582.0 

Sterlitomak 976.338.  864,248.2  71,834.7  1.917,470.9 

Zlatoust 419,074.7  1,167,951.1  62,660.3  1.679,686.1 

TOTAL 5,090,779.2  5,341,fe4.2  521,581.3      10,864,344.6 

The  soil  and  climate  of  the  Ufa  government  are  mostly  well  adapted  for 
agricultm-e,  which  is  extensively  practised  by  its  inhabitants  everyw-here, 
with  the  exception  of  the  mining  district.  Within  the  last  lew  years,  the 
area  sown  comprised: 

Winter  corn 6;i0,049  desiatins. 

Spring  corn 819,561 

Potatoes 29,830 

Total . . .    1.479.440  desiatins. 

Mining  is  the  principal  industrial  feature  in  the  Ufa  government.  According 
to  the  last  data,  the  production  of  all  the  works.  130  in  number,  was  repre- 
sented by  R.  8,029,637.  The  State  mining  works  of  the  Zlatoust  district 
and  the  private  concerns  of  the  Simsk  and  Katav  districts  have  an  annual 
production  of  R.  .5,4S0,000. 

The  pretty  town  of  Ufa  is  the  capital  of  Ba.shkiria.  It  contains  4,726  houses 
(165  of  stone.  4,561  of  wood).  23  churches  (7  house  chapels.  12  of  stone. 
4  of  wood).  2  monasteries,  one  Roman  catholic  wooden  church,  2  Mohamme- 
dan mosi|ues.  There  are  24  schools,  inclusive  of  two  gymnasiums  for  i)oys 
and  ?rirls,  a  sreodetic  school,  a  seminary,  two  cleriry  schools  for  boys  and 
girls,  a  commercial  school,  a  district  school,  several  primary  and  parish 
schools.  The  charitable  institutions  are:  2  homes  for  orphans  and  waifs,  under 
the  managemeut  of  Her  Imperial  Majesty's  Chancery  for  the  Institutions 
of  the  Empress  Mary,  and  a  ])oor-house  established  by  the  local  administra- 
tion. The  followiniz  institutions  are  kept  ui>  at  the  cost  of  the  I'fa  jiatronage 


96 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


committee  of  the  Imperial  Philanthropic  Society:  1  j  a  free  day-hospital,  2)  free 
lodgings  for  the  poor.  3)  an  old  women's  asylum,  4)  the  Alexander  poor-house 
for  women.  5)  asylum  for  aged  Mohammedans,  6)  a  free  workhouse.  7)  a  free 
information  office  for  providing  work.  There  are  also  a  school  with  two 
classes  for  blind  boys,  under  the  management  of  the  local  committee,  night 
refuges  with  cheap  dinners,  a  work-house,  a  division  of  the  Red  Cross  So- 
ciety, a  branch  of  the  Imperial  Humane  Society,  a  society  for  agricultural 
colonies  and  artisans  asylums'  a  diocesan  committee  for  helping  the  poor  clergy. 
Scientific  and  other  societies  are  represented  by:  a  branch  of  the  Agro- 
nomic Society  of  Moscow',  a  society  of  jihysicians,  a  committee  for  public 
readings,  a  society  for  amateur  singing,  music  and  dramatic  art,  a  racing 
societv.  Further  there  are  a  town  library  and  museum,  the  latter  founded  in 


Bridge  over  the  Ufa  (phot,  uy  Arsentiev). 


1864  by  the  local  statistical  committee.  The  museum  occupies  a  separate  buil- 
ding on  the  Trade  Square,  and  includes  ten  divisions:  agriculture,  forestry 
mining  industry,  mineralogy,  archaeology,  iialaeontology,  entomology,  zoology, 
numismatics   and  history. 

Agricultural  tools  made  at  the  Votkin  State  \\'iirks  are  offered  for  sale  at  the 
museum.  The  periodicals  are:  the  Diocesan  Gazette,  twice  a  montii.  the  Go- 
vernment Gazette,  and  the  Ufa  Advertiser,  the  two  latter  dailies. 

The  29  factories  working  in  the  town  yield  a  revenue  of  R.  467.349;  a 
wax  candle  nuinufactorv  (R.  63.()n0i  a  l)ccr   and    mead    lirewory  (R.  89.<x"k")),  a 


THE  SAMAR A-ZI.ATOIST  RAILWAY. 


97 


s\V(>atnicat  maniilactury  (R.  3(\itiM)i.  a  ro]io  walk  (1\.  .'!o,ihhii,  and  a  saw  mill 
(K.  Oo.iKK)).  are  the  most  impnrtant  ainoim-  them.  Tliere  ai'e  the  following- 
banks:  a  branch  of  the  State  Hank,  a  branch  of  the  Peasant  Land  Bank  ami  the 
Town  Hank. 

The  town  has  an  annual  ivvonue  of  K.   17.').ikki. 

The  town  of  Ufa. representins;  the  administrative  conti-e  of  avast  irovern- 
ment.  used  to  be  an  important  commercial  centre  for  th(>  entire  Iral.  where 
local  and  imjiorted  goods  were  boui^ht  and  sold.  Formerly,  also,  this  town 
served  as  a  depot  for  a  .great  ([uantity  of  Siberian  wares.  However,  since  the 
oi)enin,i;  of  the  Samara-Zlatoiist  line,  Ufa  has  lost  much  of  its  importance, 
and  its  commercial  operations  are  greatly  reduced. 

The  Ufa  station  has  some  siirnificance  as  the  point  to  which  considerable 
iiuantitles  of  grain  are  brought  for  further  conveyance  by  the  river  Belaya, 
and  on  account  of  the  imports  of  other  grain  products  consisting  jirincipally 
of  wheaten  floiu'  for  local  supply.  It  has  no  importance  for  the  corn  traffic  by  rail. 
."^hit6v  and  Stakheev  have  built  naphtha  reservoirs  near  the  station,  to  supply 
the  localities  situated  in  the  direction  of  Cheliabinsk. 

Ufa  might  recover  its  former  prosperity  by  the  construction  of  the  pro- 
jected railway  uniting  Orenburg  and  Perm,  connecting  the  commercial  cen- 
tres of  the  Perm  govornment  with  the  plains  of  Orenburg.  If  this  line  were 
run  further  into  Central  Asia  and  reached  Tashkent,  it  would  certainly  exert 
a  most  beneficial  etTect  upon  the  town  of  Ufa. 

From  the  station  of  Ufa,  the  line  ascends  again  and  reaches    the    water- 
shed of  the  rivers  Belaya 
and    Ufa,    crossing    the 
latter   liy   a   bridge    l.iO 
sazhens  in  length. 

3.T|  Urdkovo.  (ti2s 
v.).  A  great  tallow  melt- 
ing nuinufiiclory  belon- 
ging to  Krestovnikovs  is 
situated  near  the  station; 
the  Samara-Zlatoust  rail- 
way supplies  this  manu- 
factor\  with  over  3.')(Vh»" 
puds  of  tallow,  bought 
chietly  at  the  Ishim  lair 
in  the  Tobolsk  govern- 
ment. From  Urakovo. 
the  tallow  is  forwarded 
to  the  candle  and  soap 
manufactory  of  the  Kre- 
stovnikovs  in   Kazan,  by  the  rivers  Ufa,  Belaya  and  Kama. 

The  line  follows  the  left  or  eastern  bank  of  the  Ufa,  and  gradually  ascends 
the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Ufa  and  Sima.  On  its  w-ay  to  the  next  station, 
the  line  passes  over  a  bridge  of  10  sazhens  spanning  the  river  Tauzh. 

:5»))  Igrlino.  (640  v.).  Two  steam  saw-milis  belonging  to  Bolshakov  and 
Bazilevsky  are  situated  close  to  the  station. 

37)  Tavtlmdnovo.  (6.58  v.).  Leaving  this  station,  the  line  reaches  the 
highest  point  of  the  watershed  between  the  rivers  Ufa  and  Sima,  and  descen- 
ding towards  the  Sima  traverses  the  river  Uhi-Teliak  by  a  bridge  of  10  sazhens. 


Sale  of  onions  and  tjoiling  water  at  a  railway  station. 


9S 


OriDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


38)  Approaching  the  next  station,  ttie  line  crosses  the   river   Ash.l    by   a 
bridge  of  l."i  snzhens  in  lenirth. 

39)  AshS-Balashc5v.  ikiftVt  (704  v.).  New  blast  t'urnafe  woi'ks  are  being 
constructed  li.\   Messrs  Balashov  close  to  the  station. 


The  Mini4r  ironworks  (phot,  by  Ars^ntiev). 


From  here  the  line  winds  its  course  amidst  ridges,  and  is  intersected  by 
the  Sima. 

The  famous  Kazarmen  rock,  consisting  of  limestone,  lies  within  a  few 
versts  from  the  station  and  falls  in  a  plumb  line  to  the  water's  edge.  The 
line  is  built  on  a  recess  separating  the  Kazarmen  rock  from  the  river.  The 
Vorobei  mountains  stretch  further  to  the  left  of  the  railway,  the  Andzhigord.'ik 
stands  on  thi'  right. 

40)  Minldr.  (,723  v.).  The  ^iiniar  works  of  .Messrs  Balashov,  founded  in 
1784  by  Tverdyshev  and  Miasnikov,  is  situated  within  two  versts  of  the  sta- 
tion. Its  annual  output  exceeds  800,000  puds  of  iron  and  200,000  puds  of  steel. 
The  foundry  has  no  blast  furnace,  and  for  this  reason  does  not  produce  any 
pig-iron:  the  latter  is  brought  from  the  Sima  works  situated  IS  versts  from 
Miniiir.  Rolled  iron  is  the  most,  important  item  of  tiiis  works,  wrought  iron 
plates  being  the  chief  article  of  sale.  The  roof-iron  of  Messrs  Balashov  en- 
joys a  considerable  reputation.  The  Miniar  works  and  its  environs  stretching 
along  the  .Sima.  which  flows  into  the  Belaya,  offer  one  of  the  most  i>ictu- 
resque  sitos  on  the  western  side  of  the  Unil.  The  works  support  about  fnur 
and  a  half  thousand  inhabitants,  and  employ  about  9(H)  men.  Ui)on  rearhing 
the  valley  of  the  river  Sima,  the  line  follows  along  it  and.  on  its  way  to  the 
next  station,  crosses  the  same  river  four  times  by  bridges  40,  2.t  and  2.5  sa- 
zhens  in  length:  the  latter  has  three  spans  of  5,  25  and  .5  sazhens,  and  a 
height  of  7.72  sazhens  above  low  water  mark. 


THE  SAMARA-ZLATOrST  RAILWAY. 


99 


411  Simskaya.  (78t)  v.».  Is  picturesquely  situated  at  the  foot  of  a  moun- 
tain ridge.  Tlu'  Sima  worivs  of  Messrs  Balasliiiv.  witliin  8  versts  of  tiie  sta- 
tion, are  connected  with  it  by  a  tramway.  These  works  were  founded  in  1759 
y  Miasnikov.  They  contain  two  blast  furnaces,  and  produce  mainly  cast- 
iron  (about  1,.3W,000  puds  per  annum).  For  this  purpose,  ii-on-ore  is  brouirht 
from  the  station  of  Viazovaya,  whither  it  is  forwarded  from  the  Bakiil  mine. 
The  ^hishka,  which  is  a  conical  mountain  stan<linir  lialf  a  verst  from  the  works, 
emergini:  on  its  western  side  from  a  small  lake,  contains  a  large  cave  at  a 
height  of  100  sazhens.  At  a  small  distance  up  the  Sima,  is  the  mountain  call- 
ed Yamazt'-Tau,  which  has  another  cave  of  still  larger  dimensions,  where 
Pallas  found  bones  of  man  and  animals.  In  general,  caves  occur  very  frei|uently 
in  the  southern  Unil. 

The  Sima  works  have  about  5,000  inhabitants,  and  employ  about  300  men 
regularly,  and  about  800  occasionally.  The  valley  is  surrounded  with  high 
tree-clad  mountains.  There  is  a  hosi»ital,  a  school,  a  very  good   theatre,  and 


Cutting  through  the  Dergach  mQuntai.n  (phot,  by  Arsentiev). 


tea  and  reading  rooms  open  to  the  ))ublic.  A  telephone   connects  the  works 
with  other  manufactories  in  the  district. 

Here  begins  again  the  ascent  toward  the  watershed  oi   tiie    rivers    Sima 
and  Yuriuzan.  At  its  highest  point  is  the  station. 


100  GriDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

42)  Kropaehevo.  (7uSv.).  Tlu'  Xichnlas  iron  works  of  Messrs  Balashov, 
fouiulpd  in  1S06  by  Count  Stro.sanov,  are  situated  at  a  distance  of  23  vi'rsts 
from  the  station.  There  is  also  a  bhist  furnace  with  an  output  of  about 
500,000  puds  per  annum,  which  is  principally  forwarded  direct  to  the  station  \ 
of  Pushchino  and  tlie  New  Port.  The  ore  is  obtained  from  the  same  mine 
which  supplies  the  Sima  iron  worlds.  The  number  of  workmen  is  from  .^O  to 
60,  while  600  others  are  employed  about  the  works.  From  this  station,  the 
line  descends  to  the  valley  of  the  Yuriuzan,  traversing  it  by  a  bridge  with 
spans  of  10,  46  and  10  sazhens,  and  a  height  of  12.02  sazhens  above  the  low 
•water  mark.  This  is  one  of  the  most  picturesque  spots  on  the  whole  line. 

43)  Usl-Katav.  (774  v.).  Lies  amidst  clifts  and  rocks.  The  Ust-Katav 
iron  works  of  Prince  Beloselsky-Belozersky.  founded  in  1759,  are  situated 
within  four  versts  of  the  station,  in  a  deep  mountain  pass  at  the  junction  of 
the  rivers  Katav  and  Yuriuzan.  The  works  have  above  5,000  inhabitants  and 
300  workmen,  the  number  of  meti  employed  about  the  works  exceeding  1,000. 
There  is  no  blast  furnace  and  the  pig-iron  for  the  jiroduction  of  assorted 
iron  is  brought  by  road  from  the  Katav-Ivanovsk  and  Yuriuzan  works.  After 
the  construction  of  the  railway,  these  iron  works  lost  much  of  their  impor- 
tance,, and  are  now  specially  occupied  with  the  manufacture  of  rail  spikes 
and  fastenings. 

Puddling,  welding,  finery  and  cast-steel  jiroduction  are  carried  on  there. 
It  has  lately  lieen  proposed  to  establish  a  railway-carriage  works.  Remarkable 
caves  are  to  be  found  in  the  mountains  within  a  few  versts  of  the  iron  works. 
They  contain  numerous  and  spacious  chambers  united  by  narrow  passages. 

The  caves  in  the  Ignatius  mountain  are  celebrated  as  having  given 
shelter  to  the  lay-brother  Ignatius  who  is  regarded  by  the  people  as  a  saint 
and  is  buried  there.  This  cave  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  in  the  southern 
Unil.  The  saint's  image  is  placed  over  the  grave,  where  an  oil  lamp  is  per- 
petually kept  burning.  A  crowd  of  people  from  the  neighbouring  works  and 
villages  stream  to  this  cave  on  the  ninth  Friday  after  Easter.  According  to 
liopular  belief,  it  was  the  refuge  of  many  other  hermits,  called  ^workers"  iaS 
the  Ural. 

From  the  station  of  Ust-Katav,  the  line  follows  continuously  the  right 
bank  of  the  Yuriuzan.  Rocks,  at  times  quite  bare,  at  others  clad  with  moss 
and  trees,  rise  perpendicularly  on  either  side  of  the  way. 

44)  Vlazovaya.  Buffet  (791  v.).  This  is  one  of  the  important  and  well 
organised  stations  on  the  Samara-Zlatoi'ist  line.  Its  situation  is  picturesque. 
Around  it  are  hills  and  fir  forests,  which  are  like  a  park.  The  river  Yuriuzan 
with  its  fine  banks  and  islands  is  in  close  iiroximity  to  it.  A  small  wooden 
church  was  built  at  the  station  in  lcS98.  ^I-r  Sukhozanet's  Yuriuzan  works, 
founded  in  1798  by  Tverdyshev  and  Miasnikov,  are  situated  at  a  distance  o^' 
nine  versts.  The  works  have  7,896  inhabitants  of  both  sexes.  At  the  present 
time,  they  are  leased  by  Prince  Beloselsky-Belozersky  and,  within  recent  years, 
have  considerably  extended  their  oiierations.  The  works  are  provided  with 
three  blast  furnaces,  twelve  welding  furnaces  and  eight  rolling  lathes.  The 
ore  for  the  i)roduction  of  pig-iron  is  conveyed  by  carts  from  the  Bakal  mine,, 
situated  35  versts  from  the  works.  As  much  as  1,000.000  puds  of  pig-iron  and 
iron  are  turned  out  yearly.  The  chief  products  are  rolled  merchant  inm  and  rail 
fastenings  and  bridges,  besides  a  certain  quantity  of  wrought  iron  idates  and 
hooi)  iron.  About  800  men  are  occupied  in  the  works  and  as  many  as  2,400 
are  employed  outside.  Yuriuzan  has  long  since  been  a  centre  of  various  sects 


THE  SA.MARAZLATOrST  RAILWAY. 


101 


which  are  represonttni  by  1.4(K)  adherents  of  tlie  cha|ii'l  sect,  l'.«i  nf  the 
niaritiine  sect,  10  of  the  Austrian  sect,  and  21  dissidents.  The  surroundins; 
hills  serve  as  an  asylum  tor  hermits,  wlm  there  occupy  themselves  with 
gardening  and  beekeeping. 

The  Katav-Iviinov  rail-rolling  and  iron  works  of  Prince  Beloselsky-Belo- 
zersky  founded  in  17.^.^  by  Tverdysliev  and  Miasnikov,  are  situated  27  versts 
from  the  Viazovaya  station.  They  may  be  ranked  among  the  first  Ural  mining 
entcri>rises  for  their  outinit.  The  poitulation  of  the  works  is  10,(KX). 
There  are  now  four  blast  furnaces,  a  rail-rolling  mill,  puddling,  welding 
and  machinery  works,  a  locksmith's  shop,  a  forge  and  a  saw-mill.  The  works 
and  the  adjacent  grounds  are  provided  with  electric  light  and  a  telephone 
uniting  all  the  works  in  the  district.  The  iron  ore  is  conveyed  by  carts  from 
the  Bakiil  mines.  Hails  are  the  chief  article  of  i)roduce,  exceeding  a  million 
puds    per    annum.    Warehouses    and    sheds    for    the    storage    of   the   metal 


nn 

^^^^^^^^^^C^^^^^^^^ 

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gp,-^ 

The  S^tka  ironworks  (phot,  by  Arsdnticv.) 


i-'oods  of  the  Katav-Ivannv  and  Yuriuzan  works,  have  been  built  near  the  sta- 
tion, and  connected  with  it  by  a  branch  line.  The  goods  are  brought  to  these 
warehouses  in  winter,  and  gradually  forwarded  further.  The  Katiiv  works, 
having  extended  their  operations,  adoiited  mineral  fuel  in  ISfK),  and  naiihtba 
since  189.^. 

The  Viazovaya  station  also  receives  the  metal  goods  from  the  Beloretsk 
iron  works,  situated  in  the  Verkhneuralsk  district  of  the  Orenbiirg  government, 
belonging  to  the  Beloretsk  works  of  Vogau  and  Co.  The  Tirliand  works, 
which  is  one  of  them,  is  110  versts  from  the  station.  The  output  is  about  one 
niillion  puds  of  pig-iron  and  iron;  2(k1,000  |iuds  are  transported  by  the  Samara- 
Zlatoust  line  from  Viazovaya  to  UfiV.  The  remainder  is  floated  in  barges  down 


102 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


the  i-ivLT   Bolaya.   The  greatest  (niantity  of  metal  iroods   Un-  the   wliole   lino 
are  eonveyed  from  the  Viazovaya  station. 

Prom  here  the  line  run.s  through  cutting.s  ami  mountain  passes:  further 
on  the  country  is  more  open,  with  tar-stretching  fields  and  meadows  sur- 
rounded by  high  mountains. 

45)  Mursalimkino.  (813  v.).  The  Bashlcir  village  Mursalimkimi  witli  its 
half  ruined  buildings  is  situated  near  the  station.  From  here  the  railway 
jiroeeeds  almost  in  a  straight  line,  without  encountering  any  mountains,  but 
only  occasional  ridges,  covered  with  a  rich  vegetation,  and  intersected  by 
pretty  valleys. 

Leaving  the  station,  the  line  traverses  the  rivers  Uluir  and  Sikiaz  span- 
ned by  bridges  of  10  sazhens  each.  Near  the  next  station,  it  crosses  the  ri- 
ver Ishelga  by  a  bridi^e  10  sazhens  long. 

46)  Suleyd.  (837  v.).  The  Satka  iron  foundry,  belonging  to  the  State  and 
founded  by  .Mosolov  in  1757.  is  '  situated  18  versts  from  the  station.  It  con- 
tains about  10.000  inhabitants  of  both  sexes,  inchiding  a  great  many  secta- 
rians. The  number  of  workmen  emplyed  is  1800.  The  works  contain  two  blast 
furnaces,  a  puddling  furnace,  a  rolling  mill,  a  foundry. — the   latter  is  mainly 


The  station  of  Zlatoust  from  Mt.  Kosutur  (phot,  by  Arsentiev). 

used  for  producing  shells,— there  is  also  a  forge  and  a  locksmith's  shop.  The 
machinery  and  casting  shops  are  united  by  135  sazhens  of  rail  on  the  Deco- 


1 


THK  S\M\K\-ZI,.\TOfST  li AII.WAY 


103 


ville  system.  Inm.  amountinji-  t<i  abmit  I.sikvhh)  inuls  imt  aiinimi.  is  hrnui^ht 
fi-i>ni  the  Hakal  ami  Yelnik  mines.  Piir-iron  is  tiie  eliief  article  of  iiroduce, 
aiiiiniiiting  to  above  a  iiiillion  puds  per  annum:  about  250.(hh)  puds  of  pig-iron 
are  employed  in  the  manufacture  nf  ii-on  and  shells.  The  rest  of  the  |iig-iron, 


1 

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r 

P^- w>^»jfc 

station  of  Zlatoust. 


am<iuntini;  to  about  8tK).(KKi  puds,  is  forwarded,  for  the  use  of  tlu'  Xavy  and 
Artillery  Department  to  the  Izhorsk,  Obiikhov,  Perm,  Yotkin,  Zlatoi'ist  and 
Artinsk  works. 

Wood  and  charcoal  obtained  fi-om  the  adjacent  forests  ai'e  employed  a.s 
fuel  in  the  S;itka  iron  works.  .\  telephone  unites  the  works  with  the  Zlatoi'ist 
and  Hakal  mines.  In  1N24.  the  iron  works  were  visited  by  the  Emperor  Alex- 
ander I.  The  famous  Bakal  mine,  which  contains  one  of  the  most  extensive 
iron  beds  in  the  Russian  ?]mpin\  is  situated  21  versts  from  the  works,  on 
the  Bulaudikha  mountain.  The  ipiantity  of  ore  is  estimated  at  400,(;hm),0(X)  puds. 
Its  chemical  composition  is:  81.44"  o  of  oxide  of  iron.  tJ-TS^o  of  silica.  5.40"  »  of 
alumina,  .')7.3()"o  of  metallic  iron.  The  Sima  and  Katav  iron  works  obtain  iron 
from  mines  belonging  to  the  same  group.  A  bed  of  tripoli,  em|)loyed  for  the 
polishing  of  metals  and  for  roof  slates,  is  situated  within  five  versts  of  the 
station. 

Up  to  the  river  Satka.  the  line  runs  through  a  hill,\  country,  and  crosses 
this  river  by  a  bridge  having  three  spans  of  tl4.  80  and  6  sazhens,  and  an 
elevation  of  8.46  sazhens  above  the  low-water  mark.  Fm-ther  on.  it  runs 
through  a  more  level  country. 

47)  Berdiaush.  (s,ii.(  v.».  .\  wide  gauge  railway  branch  twenty  versts  in 
length  connects  tlte  Siitka  iron  works  with  the  statiioi. 

7a 


104  'jriDE  T(i  THK  GREAT  SIliERTAN  RAILWAY. 

Tlu'  ii-dii  tVoiii  the  \'>;[k:\\  iiiiiic.  su|ipl.\in,ii-  tlip  Zlatiiiist  woi'ks.  has  beon 
I'orwarcii'il  to  the  station  since  1S9:J. 

4S)  Tundush.  (878  v.)  Proceeding-  fiii-llier  east,  tlie  line  descends  to  the 
valley  of  the  river  Ai,  ei'ossin.si'  the  latter  at  the  881  verst  by  a  bridge  :5() 
sazhens  long,  and  then  mounts  again  towards  Zlatoust.  The  line  winds  its 
course  along  the  bank  of  the  Ai,  among  fir-clad  mountain  ridges. 

The  Kuslnsk  platform.  The  State  iron  foundry,  founded  i)y  Luginin  in 
1778,  stantls  at  a  distam-e  of  14  verts  from  this  place.  It  contains  about  4,r)(K) 
inhabitants,  and  has  two  l)last  furnaces  jjroducing  about  ;!(K),(HK)  ])uds  of  pig- 
iron  per  annum;  the  output  of  iron  is  from  70,00()  to  Uxi.ikkj  puds;  cast-iron 
and  founded  wares  represent  70,000  to  100,000  puds.  Special  attention  is  gi- 
ven to  neat  and  artistic  w-ork;  in  this  respect,  the  works  rival  the  famous 
Kaslinsk  works.  The  number  of  workmen  employed  amounts  to  .5(K).  iron  is 
supjilied  by  the  Akhtensk  mine,  from  a  distance  of  25  versts;  it  repi'esentsa 
kind  of  bog-ore  with  7:i"  o  of  oxide  of  iron,  and  above  5(P  o  of  metal.  Pig-iron 
is  forwarded  from  the  Kusinsk  works  to  the  works  of  Votkin  and  Artinsk. 
while  the  iron  is  sent  ])artly  to  Kolpino  near  St.  Petersburg,  tor  th(>  Izhora 
works,  and  jiartly  to  Xizhni-N6vgoi-od,  where  it  is  stored  in  the  (iovernment 
iron  works,  ^^'ood  and  charcoal  are  emiiloyed  as  fuel.  The  works  are  con- 
nected by  a  telei)hiuie  with  Zlatoust  and  the  Kusinsk  platform. 

The  line  runs  through  extensive  cuttings  in  which  chalk  is  noticeable 
At  the  902  verst,  near  the  station  of  Zlatoust,  there  is  a  parabolic  tube  whicli 
is  the  first  of  this  system  on  Russian  railways. 

49)  Zlatoust.  Buffet  (9i)7  v.).  Is  picturesquely  situated  at  the  foot  of  fir- 
clad  mountains.  A  whole  settlement,  containing  a  telejihone,  a  school,  and  a 
small  theatre,  has  been  founded  quite  close  to  the  railway  on  a  piece  of  land 
belonging  to  the  town.  The  town  of  Zlatoiist  is  at  a  distance  of  two  versts 
from  the  station.  It  belongs  to  the  Ufa  government,  and  spreads  over  the 
valleys  of  the  rivers  Ai,  Gramotuklia,  Tesma,  Kamenka,  Chiivashka  and  Tatiirka 
(55^10'  N.  lat.  and  29 '21'E.  long.:  population  2;3,67()  souls).  The  Ai,  held  up  l)\- 
a  dam,  forms  a  large  pond  which  supplies  the  iron  works  with  water. 

The  Tula  mechantMosolov  established  an  iron  foundry  in  1754  on  a  piece 
of  land  purchased  from  the  Bashkirs,  and  from  a  church  erected  in  honour 
of  the  three  saints:  Basil  the  Great,  Gregory  the  Theologian,  and  John  Chry- 
sostom,  it  received  its  name.  In  1811,  the  foundry-  became  the  property  of  the 
State.  At  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  Ufa  government,  in  18(55.  Zlato- 
iist was  ranked  as  a  district  town.  It  contains  2.916  buildings  (2,617  of  wood. 
299  of  stone),  4  Russian  orthodox  churches  (2  of  stone,  2  of  wood).  8  chapels 
(;-5  of  stone,  5  of  wood),  a  stone  dissenting  chapel,  a  Roman  catholic  and  a 
protestant  church,  both  of  stone. 

The  schools  are:  a  town  school  with  three  classes,  two  schools  with  one 
class  for  boys  and  girls  at  the  iron  works,  4  town  primary  schools.  There  is 
also  a  hospital  and  dispensary  built  by  the  local  administration.  The  Govern- 
ment iron  foundry  has  also  a  disjiensary  and  hosi)ital.  The  town  library  con- 
tains a  reading  room.  There  are  a  )>rivate  typograph.\,  three  book  shojis  and 
two  clubs.  Within  the  town  are  the  following  factories:  a  soap  works  produ- 
cing goods  of  an  annual  value  of  R.  11,200,  a  beer  and  mead  brewery  (R. 
15,300),  a  pig-iron  and  iron  foundry  (R.  941,264)  seven  polishing  works 
(R.  16,740),  a  cloth  factory  (R.  ;i(XX)),  a  gingerixvad  manufactory  (R.2,;50())  and  a 
cracknel  manufactory  (R.  1.7(H))  The  tow-n  revenue  amounts  to  R.  22,684.  A 
monument  to  tho  l-'.iiipcror  Alexander   II  stands  in  the  middle  ol  the    square 


THK  SAMARAZLATOl'ST  RAILWAY. 


103 


ill  front  of  the  arsenal  buildings  and  the  cathedral.  The  jiedestal  is  made  of 
iiiai'lile,  the  iron  statue  represent inir  the  Kniperor  at  full  len.irth.  was  east  at 
the  Kusinsk  works  lielon.iting  to  the  Government.  Sani|)les  of  all  the  articles 
produced  at  the  side-arms  factory  since  the  time  it  opened  operations,  are 
kept  in  the  arsenal,  which  can  be  seen  from  9  to  12  in  the  morninir  and  from 
3  to  5  in  the  eveniuir. 

The  Emperor  .Mexamler  I  visited    the  foundry  in  1.S24.  and  a  nail  forired 
with  his  own  h:inds  is  preserved  in  the   local  museum.  The  Hmperor  .\lexan- 


View  of  the  town  of  Zlatoust  (phot,  by  Arsintiev). 


der  II.  then  heir  ajiparent  to  the  throne,  visited  Zlatoust  in  1857:  a  stone  cha- 
pel was  built  on  one  of  the  hills  in  commemoration  of  this  event. 

The  Zlatoust  works  produce  pig-iron,  Marten  steel  in  three  furnaces,  cast 
steel  in  two  furnaces  of  the  Siemens  system,  puddled  and  rolled  iron;  blades 
are  worked  in  the  forge  division.  There  is  also  a  machinery  tool  and  a  railway 
fastenings  works.  The  number  of  workmen  is  about  1,(X)0.  Many  of  them  oc- 
cupy themselves  with  the  manufacture  of  hand-made  metal  goods,  exemplified 
by  the  famous  Zlatoust  knives  and  forks.  Since  ISD.i.  the  workmen  have  orga- 
nised associations  with  a  store  for  their  hand-made  wares.  They  receive  or- 
ders for  ditlerent  articles  in  steel  and  iron,  excepting  side-arms,  the  manufac- 
ture of  which  is  forbidden.  About  .3.000  men  are  occupied  in  working  knives 
and  forks  with  a  business  of  R.  200,000  to  300.000. 

The  metal  goods  produced  here  are  distributed  in  the  following  manner: 
the  iron  is  forwarded  to  Xizhni-Xovgorod.  the  side-arms  to  Moscow,  the  shells 
to  Kovno.  Osovets.  Kiev.  I.ivinsk  and  other  towns:  the  fastenings  are  sent  to 
Cheliabinsk  for  the  use  of  the  Siberian  Railway.  The  works  bein.g  insuffici- 
ently provided  with  fuel,  cannot  further  develop  their  operations;  in  order  to 
obviate  this  difficulty,  jietroleum  is  employed  in  many  maufactories  to  the 
an-.ount  of  about  ;i(X),0(Kj  ]iuds  jier  annum.  Coke  and  anthracite  from  the  Do- 
nets basin  are  also  used  for  the  same  purpose. 


106 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


In  1897,  the  averau'e  output  of  the  Zlatoust  works  was:  415,i>00  puds  of 
halt-rolled  iron,  about  2(X).(HT(I  puds  of  different  Ivinds  of  iron,  ISO.(KX)  puds  of 
pig  and  cast  steel,  and  41,(«')ii  puds  of  assorted  steel. 

Leaving  the  station  of  Zlatoust,  the  line  descends  to  the  river  Tesmtl  cros- 
sing it  by  a  bridge  having  three  spans  of  4,  1.5  and  4  sazhens,  and  an  eleva- 


Bridge  oner  the  Tesmd  (phot  by  Arsentiev). 

tion  of  6.35  sazhens  above  the  low-water  mark,  and  ascending  the  Ural  moun- 
tain ridge,  reaches  the  highest  point  on  its  entire  course. 

50)  Urzhtimka.  (925  v.)  The  station  stands  in  a  place  remote  from  all 
habitation,  where  the  Ural  ridge  forms  a  cavity  among  the  wide  and  lolly, 
rocks  ofthe  principal  central  chain. 

The  frontiers  of  the  Troitsk  and  Zlatoust  districts,  viz  ofthe  Ufa  and  Oren- 
btirg  governments  meet  near  the  station.  A  stone  pyramid  with  the  inscription 
^Europe"  on  one  side,  and  „Asia''  on  the  other,  is  placed  within  half  a  verst 
of  the  station.  Here  the  line  passes  its  summit  on  the  Ural  and  begins  its 
descent  by  a  zigzag  four  versts  in  length  crossing  the  river  Great  Syrostan. 
tril)utary  to  the  Jlias  of  the  Ob  basin,  by  a  bridge  of  three  spans  of  4,  10  and 
4  sazhens,  and  a  height  of  6.50  sazhens  above  low-water  level.  Thence  the 
line  continues  its  descent  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Great  Syrostan.  The  summit 
of  the  Alexander  cone,  having  an  elevation  of  .3.500  feet  |above  sea-level,  re- 
mains in  view  all  the  time.  The  top  of  this  mountain  consists  of  bare  stone 
ridges.  It  was  visited  by  the  Emperors  .Vlexanderl,  Nicholas  1  and  Alexander  II. 


THE  SAMARA  ZLATOUST  RAILWAY.  107 

.Ml  Syrost^n  (047  v.)  surrounded  by  mountains,  has  received  its  name 
from  the  village  lying  beyond  them  at  a  distance  of  one  verst.  Continuing 
its  descent,  the  line  enters  the  Cheliabinsk  district,  which  represents  the  Asia- 
tic portion  of  the  Orenburg  government,  and  taking  a  north-eastern  direction, 
towards  the  Little  Syrostan.  twice  crosses  this  river,  etTecting  a  circuit  of  2'  2 
versts.  The  descent  towards  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Ural  terminates  at  the 
second  passage  over  the  Little  Syrostan.  Further  |on,  at  the  953  verst.  the 
line  traverses  the  river  Atlian,  spanned  by  a  bridge  of  15  sazhens,  and  pass- 
ing the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Atlian  and  Mias,  crosses  the  latter  by  a 
bridge  with  an  opening  of  25  sazhens.  It  then  aiijiroaches  the  station  ofMiiis. 

The  vast  area  of  the  Orenbi'irg  government  (50'49'  and  55^.o2'N.  lat.  and 
ZVr  and  M'oE:  long.  Area  167.989  squ.  versts.  Pop.  1,C09,.S88,  males  802,936, 
females  8("H).452.)  is  divided  by  the  Ural  chain  and  the  river  Unil  into  a  west- 
ern and  eastern  portion.  The  former  lies  in  Europe  and  comprises  70,736  sq, 
versts,  the  latter  is  in  Asia,  and  covers  an  area  of  97,2.53  sq.  versts.  The 
natural  frontier  between  these  two  quarters  of  the  globe  runs  along  the  meri- 
dian. Tile  llnien  mountains,  stretching  to  the  east  from  the  central  Ural  chain, 
culminate  in  the  Ishkiil  mountain.  2,245  feet  in  height. They  are  at  first  covered  by  a 
rich  vegetation  of  trees,  but  gradually  lose  it  and  pass  into  the  steppes  of  the 
Cheliabinsk  and  Troitsk  districts,  representing  the  Transural  portion  ot  the 
Orenburg  government.  At  first  the  steppes  are  varied  by  hills  and  dotted  by 
sopkas  of  irranite  and  porphjTV.  Further  east,  they  become  more  level,  aboun- 
ding in  lakes  and  covered  with  leafy  groves.  The  eastern  slopes  of  the  Urdl 
are  richly  provided  with  gold,  copper  and  iron  ores,  giving  scope  to  a  con- 
siderable development  of  mining  industry."  Auriferous  gravel  is  found 
partly  on  lands  belonging  to  the  State,  and  partly  on  that  of  the  Bash- 
kirs and  Orenburg  Cossacks.  Deserving  of  mention  arc  the  Kachk;ir  mines, 
containing  gold  in  veins,  situated  50  versts  west  from  the  town  of  Troitsk. 

The  mining  industries  of  the  Orenburg  Transural  are  comprised  in  the 
1  .leliabinsk.  Troitsk  and  Verkhneunilsk  districts,  which  from  their  geogra- 
phical, topograiihical  and  economic  conditions,  are  in  close  connexion  with 
the  Samara-Zlatoust  line:  their  management  is  entrusted  to  the  Orenbiirg 
Minini:  Office  located  in  the  Mias  iron  works.  Besides  the  Mias  goldmining 
association,  leasing  the  State  mines  of  Mias  and  washing  over  70  puds  of 
gold  annually,  the  following  mines  should  be  mentioned  on  account  of  their 
output:  the  Vladimir  goldmining  Company  in  the  Cheliabinsk  district,  yielding 
from  6  to  7  puds,  Podvintsev  and  Co,  belonging  at  present  to  a  newly  orga- 
nised association  (over  .50  puds),  the  mines  of  Tanisov  and  Co.  Sokolov  and 
others  (over  20  puds),  of  Simonov  (10  puds):  the  Karatybano-Baratyn.sky  As- 
sociation (from  S  to  10  puds),  the  trading  tirm  of  Paklevsky-Kozell  (about  4 
puds):  the  Russian  goldmining  Company  established  in  the  Transural  in 
the  Troitsk  district  since  1895  (about  6  puds),  Pribylov  (about  5  puds),  Rat- 
kov-Rozhntiv  in  the  Verkhneuralsk  district  (the  same  quantity).  The  gold  pro- 
duction of  the  Ural  mining  region  reaches  from  .550  to  ,580  puds,  of  which  -iCP'o, 
or  lii"o  of  the  total  gold  production  in  the  Empire,  are  obtained  in  the  Trans- 
ural from  the  Orenbiirg  government.  The  granites  of  the  Ilmen  mountains 
abound  in  precious  stones. 

The  steppe  portion  of  the  Cheliabinsk  and  Troitsk  districts  bounded  by 
the  Tobol  and  Mias  rivers  is  characterised  by  a  great  number  of  lakes; 
about  115t)  of  them  are  scattered  throughout  this  region,  where  fresh 
water  lakes  occur  in  close  proximity  witii  brackish   or  bitter  lakes.   Without 


108  GLIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

minglina:  their  waters,  they  are  even  soinetimes  [connected  l>>  a  channel. 
The  steppe  hikes  are  either  entirely  covered  with  reeds,  or  tcirt  by  red  flowers 
called  salt-wort  (,tJalsola  kali,  Saiicornia  herbaria).  The  quantity  of  salt  con- 
tained in  the  lakes,  and  their  chemical  properties  are  not  always  the  same. 
The  salt  lakes,  where  salt  has  been  obtained  since  the  middle  of  the  XVIII 
century,  are  now  granted  on  lease  to  private  individuals.  The  bitter  lakes, 
containing  much  Glauber's  salt,  are  not  worked  at  all. 

The  water  in  some  of  the  lakes  has  medicinal  properties.  The  climate  of 
the  Transural  is  continental,  with '5  extreme  transitions.  The  highest  mean 
temperature  is  +28.6°,  the  lowest  on  the  average  is  —38.8',  with  a  total 
range  of  07.4'.  The  annual  rainfall  is  more  abundant  in  the  north  of  the 
Transural.  than  in  its  southern  part.  The  climate  is  healthy,  particularly 
in  the  mountainous  regions:  only  a  few  places  in  the  Cheliabinsk  district 
must  be  excluded  as  containing  lakes  with  unhealthy  exhalations.  In  the 
mountainous  part  of  the  country,  the  forests  contain  various  species,  such 
as  fir,  pine,  spruce,  larch,  birch,  linden  and  oak:  in  the  steppe,  the  small 
groves  and  tree  clumps  shew  a  predomination  of  birch.  The  oak  does  not 
occur  beyond  the  Ural,  and  appears  again  only  in  the  region  of  the  Amur.  The 
fauna  does  not  differ  from  that  of  the  contiguous  governments  of  Enropean 
Russia.  Woody  Bashkiria  gives  shelter  to  a  great  number  of  bears.  The  soil 
mainly  consists  of  sand  and  clay;  blackearth  occurs  only  in  river  valleys, 
and  in  localities  lying  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains:  further  away,  the  black- 
earth  seam  diminishes  in  thickness.  For  this  reason,  the  vegetation  of  the 
steppes  grows  richer  as  they  approach  nearer  the  mountains.  However,  the 
harvests  are  very  uncertain,  being  sometimes  very  jioor  on  account  of  the 
drought.  The  mountain  valleys  and  the  steppes  abound  in  pastures  and  are 
well  adapted  for  cattle-breeding. 

The  conditions  of  soil  and  climate  in  this  region  are  favourable  to  the 
growth  of  good  qualities  of  wheat,  other  kinds  of  corn  and  oil  prodxicing  jilants. 
Agriculture  is  principally  based  on  the  fallow-land  system.  The  extensive 
pastures  are  well  suited  for  the  development  of  cattle-breeding,  which  is 
practised  on  a  large  scale  by  the  Bashkirs.  Grain  and  animal  products  are 
exported  into  the  interior  governments  of  Russia  and  abroad. 

The  construction  of  a  railway  from  the  Samara-Zlatoust  line  towards  the 
south,  to  the  town  Troitsk  and  further  to  Turkestan,  intended  to  meet  the 
economic  interests  of  the  country,  has  frequently  been  proposed,  the  project 
being  supported  by  the  extraordinary  fertility  of  the  southern  part  of  the 
Transural. 

52)  Ml^S.  Buffet  (967  v.)  Is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  llmen  mountains 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake  llmen.  The  environs  are  extremely  beautiful.  The 
Mias  works,  founded  in  1777  by  Luginin,  stand  6  versts  from  the  station,  in 
a  deep  valley  surrounded  by  the  Chiishkov  mountains.  Formerly,  the  works 
smelted  copper:  this  industry  is  abandoned  at  |iresent  and  replaced  by  the 
machine  shop  of  the  gold  mining  company.  Externally  the  works  resemble  a 
towm;  there  are  many  stone  houses,  stores  and  shops,  a  club  and  two  libra- 
ries. The  number  of  inhabitants  exceeds  14,000.  At  the  present  time,  the  works 
forms  the  centre  of  an  extensive  corn  trade.  The  valley  of  the  Mias  is  well 
known  on  account  of  its  gold-bearing  strata.  The  famous  Tsar  Alexander 
mine,  in  which  the  ?]iniieror  Alexander  1  worked  in  1M24,  lies  within  two 
versts  of  the  iron  works.  The  tools  employed  by  His  Imperial  Majesty  are 
kept  in  the  museum  of  the  works.  In  these    mines,  gold    is    found    in    veins 


THE  SAMAKA-ZI.ATOUST  RAILWAY 


109 


ami  trravi'l.  Tlie  niunin'r  nf  wni-kim'U  (Mii|i1o.\C(1  is  about  3.0i)ii  iiicn.  Tlu'  lliiifii 
mines,  wliich  are  iiiiito  close  to  tiio  station,  are  conneotetl  with  the  irnltiwashing 
works  by  a  naiTow-.ij;au!J:e  line,  iirovided  witii  diminutive  trucks  and  enirines. 
The  gold-bearing  strata  contain  clayey  sand  with  a  considerable  admix- 
ture of  pebbles  and  gravel.  In  it  occur  fragments  of  quartz,  gneiss  and  flinty 
slate.  Its  depth  is  about  7  metres,  the  thicknesss  of  the  surface  or  turf  varies 
from  2  to  4  metres.  One  hundred  puds  of  auriferous  gravel  contain  from  25 
to  55  dolias  of  gold.  .Mias  is  a  station  which,  on  account  of  its  position,  re- 
ceives freights  of  metals,  grain  and  animal  products.  In  1897,  301,658  puds 
of  grain  were  forwarded  from  this  point  to  ilu'  ports  and  abroad.  The  quan- 
tity of  afiinial  products  despatched  from  the  town    rd'  Troitsk,  in   the  Turgai 


View  of  the  town  cf  Chcliabinsk. 


territory,  and  from  Kustanii.  exceeds  loi),nOii  puds.  Leaving  the  .\Iias  station, 
the  lini"  mounts  to  the  branches  of  the  Ilmen  ridge,  which  precede  the  Ural 
chain  ami,  descending  again,  passes  through  the  nari-ow  and  uneven  isthmus 
between  the  f'hebarkul  and  Yelovy  lakes. 

53)  Chebarkiil.  (itiiii  v.).  The  village  of  Chebarkul  is  situated  near  the 
station  on  the  lake  of  the  same  name.  A  fortress,  which  was  included  in  the 
line  of  the  L'isk  fortifications,  stood  here  at  the  end  of  the  XVII  century. 
After  having  served,  at  the  time  of  the  revidt  of  Pugachov.  as  a  rallying 
point  for  the  Siberian  troops  employed  in  opposing  that  popular  leader,  itwas 
burned  by  Pugachov  when  he  was  pursued  by  the  brave  Colonel  Michelsohn. 

54)  Bishkil.  ( l,it09  v.).  Proceeding  eastwards  from  the  station,  the  line  cros- 
ses the  riviT  Hishkil  spanned  by  a  bridire  of  20  sazhens.  Mines  of  vein  and 
gravel  gold  are  to  be  found  in  the  environs. 


110 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


55)  Polel^evo.  (l.n:w  v.).  In  tlir  diivctinn  of  Clu-lialiiiisk.  the  lino  pas- 
ses over  the  river  Birsildii  by  a  bridge  lo  sazliens  loiiu-.  and  aseend.s  to  tlip 
elevation  where  are  situated  the  gold  mines  of  Krasheninnikov. 

56)  Cheli^binsk.  Buflet  (1.057  v.).  The  railway  station  Is  at  a  distance 
of  four  vei-sts  IVoni  the  district  town  of  Cheliabinsk,  included  in  the  Orenburg 
government,  and  situated  on  both  sides  of  the  Mias  (55'  10'.\.  lat..  72° 
2'  E.  long:  2.451  versts  from  St.  Peterslmrg.  7,112  versts  from  Vladivostok. 
Pop.  18,4.54).  This  town,  which  is  the  oldest  in  the  government,  was  founded 
in  1658.  It  arose,  like  many  other  Russian  towns,  out  of  a  small  wooden  fort- 
ress which,  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  Bashkiria,  served  to  protect  the  vil- 
lages and  the  works  established  by  Russian  colonists,  on  the  picturesque  and 
fertile  banks  of  the  rivers  Iset  and  ^lias.  It  is  thou<i-ht  that  the  town  was  cal- 
led after  the  name  of  the  Bashkir  Cheliaba,  the  fortress  having  been  built 
on  his  land.  Constant  revolts  and  disturbances  occurring  among  the  Baslikirs 
and  Meshcheriiiks,  gave  this  fortress  some  importance  as  an  administrative 
centre.  In  1743,  the  famous  historian  V.  N.  Tatishchev,  who  at  that  time  was 
director-general  of  the  iron  works  in  Siberia  and  Perm,  established  there  the 
heatlquarters  of  the  voyevoda  of  the  newly  organised  province  of  Iset,  compri- 
sing the  left  side  of  the  river  Yaik,  now  called  the  Ural.  In  the  years  1773 
and  1774,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  Pugachov's  revolt  which  spread 
all   over  Bashkii-ia,  Cheliabinsk   was   frequently   attacked  by  the  rebels,  and 

was  the  rallying  point  of 
the  Siberian  troops  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant  Ge- 
neral Clappier  de  (,'olon- 
gue,  who  became  famous 
for  the  suppression  of  the 
revolt  and  the  defence  of 
the  Iset  province,  the 
works  of  Ekaterinburg  and 
the  Siberian  territory. 

At  the  time  of  the  Pu- 
.machov  revolt,  Cheliabinsk 
had  a  male  population  of 
730.  inclusive  of  243  sold- 
iers, 18!)  town  Cossacks, 
witli  a  chancery,  an  ec- 
clesiastic department  and  a  town-hall. 

In  1781,  Cheliabinsk  was  registered  among  the  district  towns  of  the  Ufa 
province;  in  1796,  upon  the  aliolition  of  the  latt(>r,  it  was  included  in  the 
Oren i) li rg  government. 

The  Emperor  Alexander  I  visited  the  towTi  in  1824. 
It  is  situated  on  the  river  Mias  which,  picturesque  higher  u|i,  loses  its 
mountainous  character  in  the  Chelicihinsk  district  and  falls  into  the  river 
Iset.  left  tributary  to  the  Tobol,  beyond  the  confines  of  the  Orenburg  govern- 
ment. Xotwithstanding  its  extensive  course  of  about  .500  versts,  rafting  by 
the  Mias  is  possible  only  in  spring;  for  this  reason,  the  river  has  but  slight 
economic  importance. 

The  Cathedral  erected  in  honour  of  the  Nativity  of  our  Lord,  the  chaiiel 
built  in  memory  of  the  Tsar-Liberator  Alexander  II,  and  the  Odigidri  nunnery, 
are  the  ciiii'f  ornaments  of  the  town.  There  ai'e  0  stone  orthodox  ehurehes.  a 


Chelieibinsk,  the  Odigidri  nunnery. 


THE  SAMARA-ZLATOVST  RAILWAY.  ]  1  1 

chapel  I'or  old-believers,  a  mnsiiuf  ami  a  Jewish  "iirayer-house.  The  schools 
are:  a  clersry  school  ibr  boys,  a  preparatory  •rymiiasiuin  tor  srirls.  a  school 
with  four  classes  for  boys,  a  iiarish  aiid  three  municiiial  schools.  There  are 
also  an  orphanage,  three  hospitals  organised  by  the  munici|>ality,  the  local 
and  the  prison  administrations.  A  library  with  a  free  reading-room  was 
o|HMied  in  memory  of  the  U  Xovember  1894.  the  day  of  the  mai'riage  of 
Their  Im|>erial  Majesties,  the  Emjieror  Nicholas  11  and  the  Empress  Alex- 
iindra  Feodorovna. 

The  town  consists  mainly  of  wooden  buildings,  and    is   without   a   pave- 
ment, allhouirh  situated  in  jiroxiniity  to  rich  quarries  of  gray   sandstone.   l)f 


View  of  the  town  of  CheliSbinsk. 


the  1.308  houses,  only  -W  are  of  stone:  about  40  shops  are  built  of  the  same 
material,  the  rest  being  of  wood.  Cheliabinsk  takes  the  first  jilace  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Transur.il  on  account  of  its  corn  (mainly  wheat)  trade. 
Horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  various  animal  products  are  sold  for  several  hund- 
red thousand  rulds  at  the  St.  Nicholas  and  St.  John  fairs,  held  in  the  town 
in  May  and  October.  The  market  is  open  every  day  with  the  exception  of 
Sundays  and  holidays. 

There  is  a  private  warehouse  cajiable  of  holding  over  half  a  million  puds 
of  grain.  A  considerable  quantity  of  grain  is  ground  in  the  suri'uunding  mills. 
The  steam  flour-mill  of  Messrs  Stei>anov.  situated  within  10  versts  of  the 
town,  is  specially  remarkable  on  account  of  its  working  capacity,  the  daily 
output  amounting  to  about  2,400  puds.  Among  other  factories  etc.,  may  be 
mentioned:  the  distiller>"  of  Messrs  Pokrovsky  producing  500.000  vedros  of 
spirit,  a  slausrhter-house.  where  about  SO.ooo  head,  mostly  sheep,  are  killed 
I  annually,  tanneries  with  an  annual  production  of  aliout  .TO.fK)()  skins,  and  tal- 
low-b.iileries  producinir  10(l,oo<i  puds  per  annum.  The  town  has  a  revenue  of 
about  U.  .50,000. 


112  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

A  hi-:uicli  of  the  state  Bank  has  been  established  here  since  1893,  and  a 
town  pawnsliop  since  1896.  Other  financial  institutions  are  represented  by 
branches  of  the  Commercial  Bank  of  St.  Petersburg  and  of  the  Yaroslav- 
Kostromd  Bank. 

The  hotels  are  very  bad  (the  Siberian  Rooms,  the  Commercial  Hotel  and 
others).  Hackney  coaches  without  sprinjrs  ply  according  to  tariff.  Carriages 
(lineikas)  run  several  times  a  day  between  the  railway  station  and  the  town 
(5  kopeks  a  seat). 

Cheliabinsk  contains  the  Department  for  the  Exploitation  of  the  West- 
Siberian  Railway,  the  Railway  Control  Etepartment.  and  a  first-class  custom 
house  for  goods.  The  station  Cheliabinsk  possesses  special  importance  as 
the  junction  of  the  European  railways  with  the  Siberian  main  line. 

The  connexion  with  the  Perm-Tiumen  line,  carried  right  on  to  Kotlas,  by 
causing  an  increase  of  goods  traffic  to  the  northern  water-systems  of  Eui-o- 
pean  Russia,  will  undoubtedly  still  further  enlarge  the  operations  of  this 
central  station. 

Occu|)ying  an  important  position  in  regard  to  the  transit  goods  traffic,  the 
station  of  Cheliabinsk  in  also  distinguished  by  a  considerable  export  of  goods 
from  the  surrounding  localities.  Great  supplies  of  wheat  are  forwarded  from 
this  station.  The  local  merchants  buy  up  annually  about  500,000  to  7(X),a)0  puds; 
a  considerable  quantity  of  this  grain  is  also  purchased  by  representatives  of 
firms  at  Revel.  Lib;iva  and  Rostov  on  the  Don. 

The  increasing  importance  of  the  station  attracted  a  numerous  new  pu- 
pidation,  which,  in  1896  founded  the  Nikolsk  settlement  in  close  proximity  to 
the  railway  line.  At  present,  the  number  of  its  inhabitants  exceeds  3,000  souls. 
A  wooden  church  capable  of  holding  750  has  been  built  near  the  station,  at 
the  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  111  fund,  in  order  to  satisfy  the  spiritual 
needs  of  the  railway  and  country  population.  The  first  stone  of  this  cliurch 
was  laid  in  presence  of  State  Secretary  Kulomzin  on  the  5  June  1897,  and  it 
was  inaugurated  on  the  30  January  1898,  in  honour  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

A  school  with  two  classes  under  the  direction  of  the  Ministry  of  Public 
Instruction  was  established  in  1898  near  the  station  in  a  special  wooden 
building  constructed  for  this  purpose;  it  is  supported  by  the  \\'est-Siberian 
Railway,  and  by  the  fees  of  the  scholars.  A  parish  school  for  girls  is  being 
built  near  the  church  in  honour  of  Father  John  Sergiev. 

A  station  for  emigrants  has  been  erected  near  by,  witli  a  brancii  line  to 
the  barracks  for  parties  of  emigrants  bound  for  Siberia.  This  branch  line  is 
provided  with  sidings,  platforms,  lodgings  for  railway  and  telegraph  agents. 
The  wooden  barracks  can  accomodate  1,.500  emigrants:  in  summer  the  num-. 
ber  rises  to  2,5(X).  The  hospital  barracks  contain  70  beds,  50  of  them  for  in- 
fectious diseases.  There  is  a  pharmacy,  a  dining-room  supplying  the  emi- 
grants with  1..500  rations  of  food  in  winter  and  with  2,000  in  summer,  which 
during  the  latter  season  are  boiled  in  i)ots  in  the  open  air.  A  bath,  with  two 
divisions  for  women  and  men,  is  arranged  for  .W  persons,  and  there  is  also 
a  laundry.  This  fully  organised  emigration  station  resembles  a  small  town, 
including  25  separate,  clean  and  sanitarily  planned  cottages.  It  is  also  the 
residence  of  the  official  entrusted  with  the  regulation  of  the  emigration 
movement. 

Since  189;!,  when  the  West-Siberian  line  was  opened  to  traffic,  over 
60O,0tX)  emigrants  of  both  sexes  have  been  registered  at  the  emigration  sta- 
tion of  Cheliabinsk. 


THE  CHELIABINSK-EKATERINBIRG  BRANCH. 


113 


The  Sinolinsk  lake,  which  in  the  Transiiriil  is  famous  for  its  salutary 
properties,  lies  within  9  versts  of  the  town.  It  contains  a  considerable  ([uan- 
tity  of  chloride  and   iodide   of   potassium.   In  the  summer,  many   people   re- 


Church  near  the  station  of  Chelieibinsk. 

sidin.ir  in  the  environs  and  other  patients  visit  the  lake  for  bathing.  The 
latter,  whose  number  increases  every  year,  live  in  the  cottages  of  the  Smo- 
linsk  Cossack  settlement  on  the  shore  of  the  lake. 


The  Cheliabinsk-Ekaterinburg"  Branch. 


This  branch,  connecting  the  Great  Siberian  Railway  with  the  Perm-Tiumen 
line,  leaves  the  West  Siberian  section  at  the  Chelitibinsk  station,  and  run.s 
in  a  north-western  direction  a  distance  of  226.5  versts. 

Within  four  versts  of  Cheliabinsk,  the  branch  line  crosses  the  river  Mias. 
spanned  by  a  bridge  of  40  sazhens,  and  ascends  towards  the  watershed  of 
the  rivers  Ufa  and  Mias.  Leaving  the  latter,  it  traverses  the  river  Ziuzelka 
and  reaches  the  first  station. 

1)  Esaillskaya.  (24  v.  from  Cheliabinsk).  From  here  the  line  runs  through 
the  steppes  adjoining  the  Uriil  dotted  by  lakes  of  various  sizes  for  the  most 
part  pictures'iuely  situated. 

2)  Argaydsh.  (5-3  v.).  Is  situated  near  the  lake  of  the  same  name.  Beyond 
it,  the  line  leaves  the  Orenburg  government,  and  enters  into  the  confines  of 
the  Perm  government  (Ekaterinburg  district)  where  commences  the  forest- 
clad  region  passed  through  before  reaching  the  Urdl. 


114 


GUIDE  TO  THE  fiUEAT  SIBERIAN  UAILWAY. 


3)  Kyshtym.  Buffet  |S4  v.).  Lies  at  a  height  of  20i)  sazhens  above;  the 
level  of  the  sea,  and  is  one  of  the  prettiest  spots  on  the  Ekaterinburg  branch. 
The  Nizhni-Kyshtym  worlds  is  at  a  distance  of  one  verst.  The  Verkhni- 
Kyshtym,  founded  by  Nikita  Demidov  in  1757,  is  within  two  versts  of  the  sta- 
tion. The  works  belongs  to  the  successors  of  the  Baroness  K.  A.  Mellei'-Zakn- 


The  Shlshka  cliff  (104  v.). 


melsky.  tile  widow  of  General-Major  Druzhinin,  and  the  successors  of  the 
hereditary  citizen  A.  A.  Zotov.  The  Yerkhni-Kyshtyni  works  is  one  of  the 
largest  in  the  Transural,  having  a  population  of  about  18,000  souls  of  both 
sexes,  while  the  Nizhni-Kyshtym  contains  only  2,000.  A  marble  monument, 
erected  in  memory  of  the  liberation  of  the  serfs,  stands  on  an  elevated  spot 
in  the  centre  of  the  works.  The  existing  museum  contains  articles  manufac- 
tured at  the  Kaslin  cast-iron  foundry,  well  known  for  its  artistic  work,  as 
well  as  mineralogical  and  geological  collections.  The  works  produces  jiig, 
Martim  and  fagotted  iron  and  ditTerent  kinds  of  machinery.  About  500,(XX>  to 
600.000  puds  of  pig-iron,  and  about  1,000,000  puds  of  iron  are  turned  out 
annually. 

.VII  the  Kyslitym  district  contiguous  to  the  works,  when'  the  Ihnen  mount- 
ains stretch  northwards,  is  richly  provided  with  mines  and  mineral  depos- 
its and  contains,  besides  gold,  copper,  iron  and  chrome-iron  ores,  many  other 
minerals.  From  here,  the  line  mounts  to  the  station  Mauk,  crossing  numerous 
dales,  ravines  and  streams,  and  ascends  along  a  steep  and  broken  slope 
towards  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Maiik  and  llfalt'ika  to  a  height  of  2m.90 
sazhens  alxive  sea-level. 

4)  Mauk.  (106  v.).  240  sazhens  al)ove  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  Kaslin 
works  contains  a  iiopuJation  of  15,000  and,  founded  in  1747,  is  situati'd  18  versts 


THE  CHELIABINSK-EKATERINBURG  BKAN<H. 


1.") 


from    tht>   st.ition.   The   works   produces   above  400,000  puds    of  pig-iron  and 
lias  some  reputation  on  account  of  its  line  and  artistic  castings. 

After  having  crossed  the  great  swamp  called  Constantine  Dale,  the  line 
enters  into  a  country  with  a  broken  surface. 

5)  Ufal^i.  Bufllet  (133  v.).  250  sazhens  above  the  sea  level.  The  Ufalei 
works  with  a  population  of  6,0(K)  founded  in  1701  by  Mr.  Mosolov,  stands 
within  half  a  verst  of  the  station.  The  works  now  belongs  to  the  Serginsk 
Ufalei  Mining  Comi)any.  It  has  an  annual  output  of  about  4()0,(XK)  puds  of 
pig  iron.  220.000  puds  of  raw  iron,  and  150,000  puds  of  common  iron. 

The  Xizhni-Ufalei  works  (4,500  inh.)  belonging  to  the  same  joint-stock 
lompany.  is  situated  15  versts  from  the  station.  The  annual  output  amounts 
to  40<MX)0  puds  of  pig  iron,  3.50.000  of  raw  iron,  and  30!),oiX)  puds  of  common 
iron.  From  here  the  line  runs  north,  and  twice  crossing  the  river  Korkadin 
ascends  to  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Ufa  and  Chusovaya.  Leaving  the  lat- 
ter it  proceeds  along  the  Poldnevnaya  river. 

H)  Poldnevnaya.  (162  v.).  .Stands  in  a  desert  and  wooded  country,  244 
sazhens  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  village  of  Poldnevnaya,  containing 
2<Ki  inhabitants,  lies  close  by.  The  famous  chrysolite  mines,  almost  uniipie 
in  the  Transunil,  are  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Chusovaya  river,  on 
land    belonging   to   the   Polevsk   works.   Proceeding   further   through   a  level 


The  Ar4-Kul  sopka  (114  v.). 


country,  the  line  twice  crosses  the  upiier  reaches  of  the  Chusovaya,  on  bridges 
of  10  and  15  sazhens  each,  and  enters  the  district  containing  the  Sysert 
mininsi  works. 

"i  Mrdmor.  (191  v.).  Is  situated  in  a  wooded  district  at  an  elevation  of 
262  sazhens  above  the  sea  level.  Close  by  is  the  Mninior  works  with  a  po- 
pulation of  l.OX)  souls:  it  is  well  known  for  the  marble  goods  it  produces. 
Large  articles,  such  as  marble  monuments,  baths,  waslistands,  window  sills, 
tables  etc.  are  manufactured  here,  besides  smaller  objects  made    of  selenite. 


116  GCIDE  TO  THE  GEEAT  SIBERLO;  RAILWAY. 

serpentine  and  ophite.  The  blue  and  white  Polevsk  marble  is  considered  the 
best.  The  marble  quames  are  .situated  four  versts  from  the  ^-iIla^e.  Aithoush 
livuis  in  a  salubrious  climate,  a  great  percentage  of  the  population  is  aflVcted 
bj"  consumption,  owing  to  the  bad  organisation  of  the  workshops. 

A  monument  to  the  Emperor  .\lexander  II  stands  in  the  centre  of  the 
village,  in  commemoration  of  the  liberation  of  the  serfs.  There  is  a  warehouse 
for  the  productions  of  the  Sysert  district  at  the  station. 

The  Sysert  works  is  situated  20  versts  to  the  south-east:  there  are  furth- 
er the  Verkhni-Sysert  and  Dyinsk  works,  which  together  with  the  Sysert 
and  Polevsk  works  are  the  property  of  D.  P.  Solotirsky  and  of  the  successors 
of  A.  A.  and  P.  M.  Turchaninov.  The  Sysert  works  contains  10,000  inhabitants 
and  above  50  different  branches  of  iron  and  copper  manufacture,  among  which 
are  axes,  horse-shoes,  trivets,  hooks  and  eyes,  door  locks,  pails,  lire-jtroof 
doors,  candle-sticks,  tea-urn.s.  saucepans  and  other  copper  articles.  There  are 
blast  furnaces,  puddling  and  welding  works.  Over  700.iX)0  puds  of  jng-iron, 
and  350,000  puds  of  iron  are  produced.  The  number  of  workmen  employed  is 
600;  besides  1.500  occupied  about  the  works.  The  works  is  connected  by  telei)hone 
with  Ekaterinburg  and  other  works  in  the  district.  The  grounds  and  works 
are  provided  with  electric  light.  The  Yerkhni-Sysert  works  containing  pud- 
dlinL'  and  welding  furnaces,  .stand  within  9  ver.sts  south-west  of  those  of  .Sv- 


View  taken  near  the  Ufal6i  station. 

seit.  It  numbers  a  population  of  1000  souls:  there  are  3(K)  workmen,  while  400 
men  are  employed  about  the  works.  The  annual  output  o)  iron  amounts  to  400,000 
puds.  The  Ilyinsk  works,  manufacttu'ing  only  sheet-iron,  is  situated  on 
the  river  Sysert  six  versts  from  the  Sysert  works.  It  contains  .50f)  inhabitants, 
employs  l.W  workmen,  and  100  about  the  works. 


THE  CHELIABIXSK  EKATERINBURG  BRANCH. 


ii; 


The  St^versk  works  (pnp.  4.ikx).  with  ">Oii  wdi-kiiu'n,  ami  nver  Iikmi  sup- 
jtlfiiii'iitary  hands)  lies  smith-wi-st  of  the  railwax  within  12  vei-sts  of  the  Mi-ii- 
mor  works.  It  contains  two  blast,  furnaces,  one  putUllin;:.  furnaile,  two  Marten 
l\irnaces,  a  fagotted  iron  furnace  etc.  and  machinery  shops.  The  annual  pre- 


view of  the  town  of  Ekaterinburg  (phot,  by  Rav^nsky). 


duction  of  jiiir-iron  exceeds  IKKUIOO  puds,  while  that  of  iron  amounts  to  KKUKK) 
puds.  The  Polevsk  works  lies  ti  versts  from  the  latter  with  a  jiopulation 
of  T.tXK)  souls.  The  number  of  workmen  employed  is  3(X).  with  about  t)tK»  suji- 
plementary  hands.  Puddled,  fagotted  and  rolled  iron  are  manufactured  at  the 
works.  The  Seversk  works  supplies  the  pig-iron  required. 

Archaeological  discoveries  were  made  at  the  end  of  the  XVIII  century  near 
the  works  in  the  Chumashcv  mines.  The  objects  date  from  a  ]>rehistoric  age  and 
belong  to  a  nation  which  in  ancient  times  occujtied  itself  with  mining. 

Alter  leaving  the  station  of  Mramor.  the  line  runs  along  the  watershed  of 
the  rivers  Chusovaya  and  Ist?t.  through  a  level  country  which  further  north 
grows  more  and  more  monotonous. 

8)  Ukliis.  (2'21  v.).  Lies  in  a  treeless  plain,  182  sazhens  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  The  village  i>f  Uktiis  is  situated  at  a  distance  of  two  versts.  Its  in- 
habitants occupy  themselves  with  agriculture  and  domestic  industries,  mainly 
that  of  pottery,  carried  on  in  about  30  shops.  The  wares  are  of  a   good   qua- 

Ility  and  find  a  ready  sale. 
The  Xizhni-lset  Government  works  founded  in  1797    (po]).    3..t<X))  is  situa- 
ted within  3  versts  of  the  station.  The  annual  iiroduction  amounts  to  2(K»,(,H)(t 
puds  of  iron,  l•1.0^y^  puds  of  cast-iron,  and  about  l.'i.oaipuds  of  sheet-iron.  The 
works  employs  3.t<1  workmen  and  contains  about  3m  sho|)s  for  hand-made  me- 
I  tal  wares.  A  monument  to  the  Emperor  .\lexander  II  stands  on  an  open  jilace 
1  in    the    works.  There    is    telephone  communication  with  Ekaterinburg.  From 
1  here,  the  line  runs  along  a  jilain  covered  with  dwarf  i)ushes  and.  after  having 


118 


CriDK  TO  THE  CHEAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


crossed  the  river  Isi't  b\'  a  l)i-kige  of  15  sazliens.  Joins  the  Perni-Tiumi'ii  Hail- 
way  line. 

i»)  Ekaterinburg'  2  (226  V2  v.).  The  TimiK'n.  Ciielialiinsk  and  Ekaterin- 
burg lines  meet  at  this  station,  the  latter  runs  on  further  to  Perm.  On  its 
course  to  the  station  Ekaterinburg  1,  the  line  sweeps  round  the  town  fallo- 
wing its  outskirts  for  a  distance  of  4  versts.  Ekaterinburg  is  a  district  town 
of  the  Perm  government  (56°49'  N.  101:30"  16  V2'  E.  long.)  stands  on  the  river 
Isel  and,  being  one  of  the  best  district  towns  of  European  Russia,  may  be 
called  the  ca|iital  of  the  Ural.  The  census  of  1897  shewed  a  population  of 
43,052  inhabitants;  the  town  was  founded  by  Tatishchev  in  1721,  and 
received  its  name  in  honour  of  the  Empress  Catherine  II.  A  mint,  striking 
special  copper  and  other  coins  called  „platas",  was  established  here  in  1735. 
Ekaterinburg  contains  above  5,500,  mostly  wooden,  houses:  the  Xovotikhvinsk 
nunnerv;  15  orthodox  churches,  besides  those  of  the  monasteries   and    inclu- 


Cathedral  in  Ekaterinburg  (phot  by  Rav6nslcy). 


sive  of  six  house  chapels:  one  cliui'ch  and  two  dissenting  chapels:  an  evan- 
gelical Luthei-an  and  a  Roman  catliolic  chajjel;  a  ^Mohammedan  mosipie  and 
a  Jewish  |irayer-house.  Ekaterinburg  is  also  the  residence  of  the  bishop 
of  the  Ekaterinburg-Irbit  diocese,  and  is  the  seat  of  a  consistory.  The  frater- 
nity of  St.  Simon  the  miracle  -  worker  of  Verkhoti'irie  is  established  in  the 
diocese.  The  schools  are:  a  clergy  school,  a  diocesan  school  for  girls,  a  clas- 
sical gymnasium,  the  Alexis  modern  school,  a  gymnasium  for  girls;  the  Unil 
mining  school,  town  schools  of  four  and  three  classes:  eigiit  primary  schools, 
three  liarish  schools  and  a  numl>er  ot  private  schools  .The  town  contains  also: 
the  Ural  mining  department,  the  Imperial  stone-cutting  works,  the  Ural  che- 
mical laboratory  with  a  gold-melting  department,  which  receives  all  the  slich 
gold  from  the  Ural  mines,  a  nieteorolo'irical  and  magnetic  observatory,  the 
council  of  the  congi'css  of  mine-masters.  Charitalile  institutions  are 
represented  by  a  i-hilih-en's  home  in  the  nuunrry,  a.iodging  for  children,  niirht 


THE  CHELlABISSK-EKATERINBURG  BRANCH.  119 

slii'lturs,  lilt-  Ali'xaiulcr  iinor-house,  a  wrirk-house,  the  Xiirov  c-liililix-ii's  Ikuhc. 
The  mi'dical  iristitiitimis  arc:  tlio  town  hospital,  a  luual  cla.v-lmspital  for  the 
piMir.  a  lyiii-i-iii  hospital,  the  hospital  of  doctor  OniitViev.  Besides  these,  there 
are  charitable  and  other  societies:  the  society  of  orthodox  missioners,  the 
local  Red  Cross  eoniniitee,  a  charitable  society,  the  eoinniittee  for  the  classi- 
fication and  care  of  beirirars.  the  miners' children's  home,  a  humane  society,  an 
aniateui'  society  of  art.  the  sportinir  society,  a  racing  society  and  a  society 
fur  natural  science  with  a  museum  founded  in  1870,  and  considerably  enlar- 
ged since  the  Siberia  and  Ural  Science  and  Trade  E.vhibition.  oruanised  by 
the  society  in  1HS7.  The  museum  includes  sections  for  i)alaeontoloiry.  minera- 
lo>;y.  ireology,  zoology,  botany,  ethnograiihy.  archaeology  and  numismatics. 
The  town  numbers  four  lii)raries  and  contemplates  opening  one  in  honour  of 
\'.  (i.  Belinsky.  There  are  two  clubs,  one  fortlie  pulilic,  the  other  for  the  nobles. 
.V  wooden  theatre  of  considerable  dimensions  belongs  to  the  town.  There  are 
two  summer  gardens,  one  belonging  to  Kharitonov,  the  other  to  the  public 
club:  two  boulevards  from  the  Moscow  barrier  to  L'spensk  street,  and  along 
the  \'o7,nesensk  prospect:  a  sipiare.  containing  busts  of  Peter  the  Great  and 
Catherine  II.  The  pedestal  for  the  projected  monument  to  the  Tsar  Liberator 
stands  in  front  of  the  cathedral.  The  periodicals  of  Ekaterinbin-g  comprise: 
the  Diocesan  Journal,  and  three  private  papers:  the  Ekaterinburg  Week,  with 
a  literary  tendency:  the  L'nil  founded  in  1896,  discussing  politics,  ))ublic  life 
and  literature:  the  Business  Corresjiondent.  containing  niainl.\  trade  and  in- 
dustrial information.  Memoii-s  in  Russian  and  FriMich  are  jieriodically  issued 
by  the  Ural  Society  for  Natural  Sciences  under  the  patronage  of  His  Impe- 
rial Highness  the  Grand  Duke  Michael  Xikolacvich. 

The  Annual  revenue  of  the  town  amounts  to  K.  200,ax).  For  the  deve- 
lopment of  trade  and  industry,  there  exist  an  office  of  the  State  Bank,  a 
Branch  of  the  Vulga-K;'ima  Commercial  Bank,  the  Siberian  Trade  Bank,  the 
Town  and  Public  Banks.  Bankers:  Y.  P.  Andrc'cv.  with  a  loan  bank.  Peli'ukin 
and  Co..  a  branch  of  the  St.  Petersbiu-g  Londjard. 

Factories  and  works:  1)  the  steam  mill  of  the  merchant  Simonov.  which 
IS  an  immense  six-storeyed  building,  standing  near  a  jiond  almost  in  the 
centre  of  the  town,  surrounded  b.\  a  beautiful  garden  with  hot-houses;  2)  the 
match  manufactory  of  the. joint  stock  company  of  Vorontsov  and  Loginov, 
turning  out  annually  about  (ju,(juu  boxes  of  phosphorus  and  safety  matches, 
and  employing  250  workmen;  3)  the  cloth  factory  of  the  Brothers  Zlokazov 
on  the  river  Iset,  weaving  daily  over  600  arshins  of  different  kinds  of  cloth. 
made  fpfKirgiz  wool,  mainly  for  Siberia:  4)  the  machiner\'  works  of  the  Broth- 
ers Korobeinikov  and  Yates,  constructing  steam  -  engines,  boilers  of 
different  systenis  etc.  5)  the  pai)er-mill  of  Voronts(')v  and  Co.  manufactoring 
over  lo,(XXt  i>uds  of  common  writing-paper;  (5)  the  jtottery  of  Davydov  produ- 
cing fire-bricks,  tiles  etc.:  and  a  number  of  soap-boileries.  tallow-factories,  oil 
manufactories,  and  beer  and  mead  breweries.  The  total  i>rodu<'tion  amounts 
to  over  R.  4.o<JO.uK). 

The  town  contains  the  following  hotels  and  rooms:  the  .Vmerican  Hotel  of 
Kholkin  is  the  best,  rooms  from  R.  1  to  R.  4  a  day;  .Vtamanovs  furnished 
rooms  from  1  r.  2.5  k.  to  2  r.  M  k.,  Wunder  and  Plotnikov.  75  k.  to  2  r.  The 
hackney  coaches  are  driven  by  one  horse  and  are  hired  by  the  tariff:  25  k.  an 
hour  111'  15  k.  the  drive;  the  i-ate  for  a  drive  out  of  town  is  fixed  b.\'  mutual 
agreement:  the  di-ive  from  the  railway-station  costs  ;^5  .50  k.  in  the  daytime 
according  to  the  distance,  and  50— 8(J  k.  at  night.  In  autumn  and  spring,  5  k. 

8a 


120 


fiUIDK  TO  THK  OREAT  SIREKIAN  HAII.WAY. 


ai'c  aililril  111  ihc  usual  rate.  Al  Ivistcr.  ('Iii'istiiias  ami  iliii-iiiii  ihc  Hultor 
W'rcli,  ilir  lariir  is  mil  adiiri-cd  in.  W'illiiu  Ihc  lasl  trii  ycai's,  the  town  has 
grcallx  imiii'iived.  Eli'cti'ic  lii;iit  was  iiitrdiliiciMl  three  >'ears  au'o.  Tiic  ehief 
defect  is  the  absence  of  water  -  pipes,  which  makes  it  iieci>ssar.\'  to  hrimr 
water  fi'om  spring's  in  the  neiuhhourhood.  The    most   important  events  in  llic 


Ekaterinburg.  Quay,  court  of  justice  (phot,  by  Ravensky). 

history  of  the  town  are:  the  visit  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  I  in  1824;  the 
institution  of  the  Court  of  Justice;  the  i)ulilication  of  the  first  private  news- 
paper in  1S78;  the  opening  of  the  I'ral  niininic  railway  froni  Perm  to  Kkate- 
rinburg;  the  Siberia  and  L'ral  Kxliihition  in  1SS7:  the  completion  of  the  branch 
line  between  the    Siberian  and  L'l'.il  railways  in  1895. 

The  Vi'rkbni-Iset  works,  belonging  to  the  (.;ountess  Stenbock-Fermnr  is 
situated  at  a  distance  of  tme  verst  from  the  town:  it  includes  blast,  finin,?. 
Marten  and  puddling  lurnaces,  rolling  mills  and  machinery  works  (po]).  lo,(H)0) 
About  :!,')0,00U  |)uds  of  iron  and  2r)(),()0n  |nids  of  assorted  iron  are  |)roduced 
annually.  Roof  iron  is  suppli<Ml  in  considerable  ipiantity. 

The  ninnb(>r  of  workmen  employed  is  l.'iiiii.  The  pond  belonging  to  the 
works  is  lu  versts  long  ami  :)  \'ersts  wide,  and  is  an  ornament  to  the 
country. 


The  Ekaterinbiirg-Tiumen  line. 


This  line,  whi(di  is  compi'ised  in  the  I'ei'm-Tiiinii'n  railway,  goes  b,\  the 
name  ot  fhi'  TiunuMi  section  and  is  fornu'd  by  the  main  line  and  the  Kiimensk 
brancli.  The  main  line  which  has  a  total  length  id'  :!os.ss  versts  connects  the 
district  towns  id'  Kkali-rinbnrg  and  K'nmvshlov  in  the  I'eiin  linvernment,  and 


THE  EKATKRINBURG-TRMKX  LINE.  1 '2  1 

tcrniiiialcs  at  tlic  .staumi  Tiira  rlosu  to  ihv  lowii  nl'  TiiuiU'ii.  The  KiuiU'iisk 
branch.  37.:51  vorsts  in  length,  unites  the  Bngdanovich  station,  nn  the  main 
line,  and  tlie  (istn'ivskaya  station,  situated  near  the  K.'iniensk  (iovernnient  east 
iron  to II n dry. 

From  the  I';katerinl>ur.ii-  station,  lying  at  an  elevation  of  121.7.-?  sazhens 
ahove  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  line  rnns  throiii;li  a  level  country  in  a  north- 
eastern direction. 

1)  Istdk.  (1.5  v.).  The  line  reaches  its  highest  puint  at  the  24  v.  lying 
12s.!).'>  sazhens  ahove  sea-level. 

2)  Kosulino.  (:«  v.). 

.■{|  Bazhenovo.  Huftet  i't-i  v.).  Knierald  mines  are  situated  3.')  v.  from 
the  .station  in  the  forests  belonging  to  the  Ekaterinbiirg  mint,  along  the 
river  Great  Hefta  falling  into,  the  Pyshma.  These  are  the  only  emerald 
mines  in  Russia.  They  are  leased  for  24  years  to  Mr.  .\echaev.  who  with 
a  view  to  extendhig  the  enterprise  formed  an  agreement  with  th(*  .\ew  lune- 
ralds  romjiany  in  Paris,  working  emerald  mines  in  roliimhia.  .\sbestos  mines 
belongimr  to  Baron  Girade,  successor  to  the  trading  (irm  of  I'dklevsky-Kii/ell 
and  Kori'-vo,  are  at  some  distance  from  the  first. 

41  Griazndvskaya.  (7.')  v.). 

.'it  Bogdandvich.  HiiHei  (<I4  v.i.  The  Kiirinsk  minei-al  springs  are  situ- 
ated !.■>  ver^ts  from  the  station  in  the  Kamyshlov  district  of  the  Perm  govern- 
numt.  They  are  ert'icacious  for  rheumatism,  paralysis,  scrofula  and  anaemia 
Furnished  houses  and  an  hotel  with  good  rooms  are  situated  near  the  baths 
there  is  a  garden  and  a  promenade  with  band:  theatricals  and  concerts  take  place 
in  the  casino.  The  Government  cast-iron  foun'dry.  producing  annually  about 
4<Kt.()n(t  puds  of  cast-iron,  with  a  population  of  lo.t^oi).  is  situated  at  a  distance 
of  H7  versts  fVum  the  station  of  Ostrovskaya. 

ti)  Pyshmlnskaya.  (li:-?  v.).  Approaching  the  town  of  Kamyshlov.  the 
line  traverses  the  P\shma  by  a  bridge  30  sazhens  long. 

7)  Kamyshlov.  Buffet  (l.W  v.).  The  district  town  of  the  .same  name  in 
the  Perm  ^'ovei-niiient,  with  a  population  of  7.(«H),  is  situatefl  near  the  station. 
It  contains  .i  orthodox  (diurches  and  the  followlnir  schools  and  institutions: 
a  prejiaratory  gymnasium  for  girls,  a  district  and  clergy  school,  a  municipal 
poorhouse  and  a  children's  home.  There  are  also  a  distillery,  a  tannery  and 
a  tallow-candle  manufactory.  The  local  trade  in  grain  is  rather  considerai>le. 
The  Mutual  Credit  Company  have  a  bank  in  the  town. 

The  Olnikhov  brackish,  sulphurous  and  chalyiieate  mineral  s]irings  are 
situated  within  six  versts  of  the  station.  There  are  furnished  houses  with 
rooms  and  f)ut1et  for  the  i)atients.  There  are  further  a  library  and  a  band 
of  music.  .\  drive  from  the  station  Kamyshlov  to  the  Olnikhov  spi'ings 
costs  .50  k.  The  town  of  Irbii  famous  for  its  fair,  lies  IKi  versts  from  Ka- 
myshlov 

S)  ArsSrikha.  i  l.'il  v.). 

'.•)  Oshchenkovo.  (171  v.i. 

10)  Poklevskaya.  Butfei  (2n  v.i.  The  Talitsk  factories,  belonging  to  thi- 
successors  of  Pokh-vsky-Ivizell,  are  four  versts  from  the  station.  They  com- 
pri.se  as|)irit  distillery,  a  yeast  manufactory,  a  rectifying  works  and  a  brewery. 
Their  production  is:  4.')(i.(K)(i  vedros  of  spirit  of  wine,  Iod.ikki  vedros  of  the  same, 
about  l').(KK)  puils  of  yeast,  and  4.')(i,()(K)  and  Kid.imu  vedros  of  spirits.  The  popu- 
lation is  4,(KK»,  and  the  number  of  workmen  350.  There  is  a  stud  producing 
a  thorough-bred  stock  founded  by  Poklevsky-Kozell. 


1-22 


GUIDE  TO  TllK  UltKAT  SIIiEKIAX  KMLWAY. 


Tho  successor  ol'  this  <;cntliMnan  csiaUlishcil  a  ^lass  wm-ks  near  the  vil- 
lasjc  of  Ertarsk,  ;i()  vcrsts  from  the  station.  The  annual  diitput  is  1,.V)()  boxes 
of  sheet  ulass.  and  about  (5(10,000  spirit  bottles. 

ID  Yushdla.  (232  v.). 

12)  Tugulym.  (24s  v.). 

13)  Karm^k.  (2(i(i  v.).  Close  liy  is  the  rsiiiMisk  ]ia|ier-niill  fnunileri  by 
Shcherbakov  and  producing  yearly  about  Khi.ihhi  puds  of  ditl'erent  kinds  of 
paiier.  The  mill  employs  .SOO  -workmen, 

14)  Perevaiovo.    (2S.i  v). 

Tiumen.  (3()4  v).  Buflet  (804  v.).  Leavin.i;  the  station,  the  line  skirts 
the  tewa  and  descends  to  the  landing  jilace  on  the  Ttn-a  which  is  the  ter- 
minus 01  the  East-Siberian  section  of  the  I'erm-Tiuiiu'n  line  (3()S  v.,  2(1.15  sazh. 
above  the  level  of  the  sea). 

Tiumoin,  which  is  a  district  town  of  the  Tiil)61sk  government,  is  situated 
57'  10'  N.  lat.,  3.5°  12'  E.  long.,  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  towns  of  Siberia.  It 
was  built  on  the  site  of  the  former  Tatar  town  of  Chingi  Tiira,  which  is 
believed  to  have  been  fonded  in  -the  XIV  century  by  the  Tatar  Khan  Taibugu. 
The  voyevodas  Vasili  Siikin,  Ivan  Miasnoi  and  Ivan  f'hulkiiv.  sent  to 
Siberia  Ijy  the  Tsar  Feodor  Ivanovich  in  1581,  after  the  death  of  Yi'riiKik. 
founded  the  first  Russian  town  on  the  bank  of  the  Tura,  giving  it  the  name  of 
Tiumen  in  remembrance  ol'  the  Tiumen  Klian  to   whom   this    place    formerly 


1 

M-V-. 

-    ,  .  ^ 

.^jdiik. 

r,i»^    .>  ., .  T  . 

i&;-.iv.t ... 

^ss,*i^mk 

._  -h..,,^ 

1 

W^^' 

m 

View  of  the  town  of  Tiumen. 


belonged.  These  voyevodas  erected  alsci  in  the  new  town  the  first  Russian 
church  in  honoin-  of  the  Nativity  of  the  Hlessed  Virgin.  Fragments  of  a  ram- 
jiart  anil  a  imiat  exist  to  the  jiresent  day  in  the  |)art  designated  by  the  name 
of  Tsar  town,  and  ar(>  clear  evidence  of  the  former  Tatar  dominion. 

The  comnu'rcial  importance  of  Tiumf'U  was  establislieil  li)nir    ago.    I'revi- 
ous  to  the  construction  of  the  (ireat  Siberian  Railway,  this  town  represented 


» 


THE  KKATKRINBrRGTUMKN  LINE.  123 

till'  cumiiM-tiiiii  imiiit  nf  Silicria  ami  lun'ii|icaii  Ivussia.  a  cniisiMiucncc  nf  its 
watiM-  coinmunlcatidii  ami  |if()\iiiiil\-  to  I-;katerinl)Uf.u;  ami  I'cfiii.  Altc'f  its 
fminilation  in  17S2.  Tiunii'ii  was  iimlcf  tlio  coinniand  of  voycvodas;  amoni; 
ihcm  may  b(>  nicntioned  VocMkov,  Prince  Bari.it insky,  riodiimiv.  Vnlynsky.  who 
all  ciintrilnitiMl  tn  the  power  and  pi-o.iiress  of  the  town  In  17s2.  Tiuint'ii  was 
ineliided  in  the  Tohiilsk  irovei-ntnent. 

At  present,  this  town  comprises  over  :).'M)  Innises  and  a  popnlation  of 
2'.).oSS,  according  to  the  census  of  1897.  It  is  built  on  uneven  .ground  broken 
by  ravines,  and  contains  15  churches,  inclusive  of  three  house  chapels  (in  the 
prison,  modern  school  and  orphans'  home).  The  church  of  Oin-  Saviour, 
that  of  the  Holy  Trinity  in  the  ancient  monastery,  and  the  churcdi  of  theAn- 
niniciation,  are  noteworthy  on  account  of  their  architecture.  The  Tinmen  mon- 
astery was  founded  in  l(il(j;  the  Metropolitan  id'  Tobolsk.  Filofei  Leshchinsky 
became  a  hermit  in  this  monastery  in  171 1,  receivin.ir  the  name  of  Feodor. 
This  famous  missioner  and  ascetic  was  buried  at  the  gate  of  the  church  ere- 
cted in  the  monastery  during  his  life  time,  in  honour  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
.\n  iron-roofed  monument,  representing  this  zealous  servant  of  God,  stands 
on  his  grave.  .\  wooden  altar-cross,  covered  with  silvei-.  and  containin.a;  relics, 
was  sent  by  the  Tsar  Alexis  Mikhailovich  in  I(i(i4.  and  is  now  kept  in  the 
chnri-h  of  the  Annunciation.  The  church  of  the  Blessed  Apparition  contains 
a  miraculous  image  of  rude  design  dating  from  11)24.  representing  the  Ap- 
parition of  the  Virgin  Mary.  This  image  has  been  held  in  particular  venerat- 
ion since  the  time  when  the  cholera  ravaged  Tinmen  in  1848.  Schools  arc 
represented  by  the  Alexander  modern  school,  the  preparatory  .gymnasium  for 
girls,  four  mnnicipal  schools,  one  district  .school.  The  former  town-bailifl" 
of  Tinmen.  P.  I.  Podariu-v.  built  a  modern  school  at  his  own  cost,  while  its 
director  I.  Y.  Slovtsev  arranged  a  most  remarkable  museum,  including  many 
branches  of  natural  history,  opened  in  1879.  Since  1890,  professional  lectures 
have  been  added  to  the  school. 

The  charitable  institutions  are:  the  Vladi'mir  orphans'  home,  founded  by 
the  citizen  Trusov  in  commemoration  of  the  Grand  l>uke  Vladimir  Ale\- 
androvichs  visit  to  Tiumi-n:  a  jioor-house  maintained  out  id'  the  fund  given 
hy  the  merchants  Maximov  and  Vi')inov:  the  Alexander  lying-in  hospital, 
instituted  by  the  merchant  Voinov  in  commemoration  of  the  happy  escape 
of  the  Emperor  .\lexander  II.  and  a  night  shelter.  The  town  with  a  considerable 
population,  has  but  one  hospital,  for  men  and  women,  with  30  beds.  Outpa- 
tients are  received  only  thrice  a  week.  Among  the  charitable  and  other  in- 
stitutions may  he  mentioned:  a  temperance  society  (tea-rooms  and  a  library 
for  the  lower  classes),  a  society  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  one  for  the  pu|iils 
of  district  and  primary  schools  with  a  public  library  and  Sunday  school,  a 
volunteer  fire-brigade,  a  racing  .society,  a  society  fur  the  protection  of  ani- 
mals with  a  hospital,  a  cooperative  supply  society,  a  society  for  the  relief 
of  poor  emiirrants  on  their  way  from  Kin-opean  Russia  to  Siberia. 

Before  the  construction  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railroad,  the  greater  num- 
ber of  emigrants  jiassed  through  Tiumi'Mi.  which  was  the  centre  of  different 
medical  and  other  oriranisations  for  the  help  of  the  .settlers.  A  total  of  abont 
.Vio.nm  emigrants  moved  through  Tinmen  in  a  space  of  U\  years,  from  1883 
to  i;H)o.  The  society  for  the  assistance  of  poor  emigrant.s.  since  the  time  of 
its  organisation  on  the  4  duly  1892.  has  constantl.v  endoavoured  to  collect 
means  bir  the  help  of  the  emigrants,  and  on  account  of  its  unwearying  acti- 
vity merits  an  honourable  mention  in  the  histor.v   of  the  emigration  movement. 


121 


GUIDE  TO  THE  UREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


A.  1.  l';iininv  ami  IV  I'.  Ai-kluiMiv  wore  the  Irailrrs  and  iiiiliators  of  this  sm-iclx . 
whose  activit.\'  has  now  somewhat  falh'ii  ofl 

Tlie  exile  office  of  Tiumen,  registering  and  reguiatinii-  the  exiles  and 
their  distrilHition  throughout  Siberia,  is  an  important  and  active  institution 
I^^'rom  1823  to  1S98,  a  [leriod  nf  7-t  years,  9ns.2()(i  jioasons  have  been   registered 


1^ 

■^ 

iSi 

tfMliteS  M 

mf^ 

3K- >l 

LIKk 

f^    !!v 

M 

Bl^^^^^I 

!ifl^^H^^I^^^I 

HjB£ 

l^ftpc 

J3 

The  museum  of  the  Tiumen  modern  school. 


and  forwarded  b\  this  office.  The  town  has  neitlier  i:ardens  nm-  iioiilevards: 
a  small  wood  mit  of  town  is  little  frei|aented.  being  too  lar  oil'.  There  are  tW" 
clubs,  one  for  ]uildie  assemblies,  the  other  for  clerks;  the  latter  has  at  it^ 
disposal  scenery  for  amateur  theatricals,  belonging  to  .\.  I.  Tekiitiev.  The 
circus  of  Borovskoi,  built  of  wood,  is  situated  on  the  market  place  of 
the  town. 

The  Siberian  Trade  Gazette  with  an  e.vtensive  literary  and  industrial 
programme,  has  been  published  in  Tiumen  since  1897.  There  is  also  a  branch 
office  for  the  Ural  Gazette  issued  in  Kkaterinburg. 

.Although  the  town  revenue  amounts  to  R.  1T5,0()I)  per  annum,  it  is  badly 
kept:  only  the  Tsar  street  and  those  leading  to  the  landing  jilaces  have  been 
paved.  Petroleum  is  used  for  lighting,  and  the  telephone  has  only  recently  l)een 
adopted.  Tiumen  as  the  centre  of  an  active  trade  is  provided  with  iiuinrroiis 
financial  institutions  represented  by  a  branch  of  the  State  Hank,  a  branch 
of  the  Siberian  Bank,  a  town  loan-iiank,  two  State  savings  bmiks  and 
Andreev's  pi'ivate  loan-bank. 

A  first  class  custom-house  was  established  liere  at  tlie  end  of  lsii9. 
Hotels:  Central  Hotel,  on  Tsar  street,  North  Hotel,  near  the  theatre,  the 
Warsaw  on  the  Sadovaia  street.  Rooms  for  travcdlers  are  kept  by  Zalevsky. 

The  hackney  coaches  are  very  bad,  without  springs  and  are  hired  by  taritl 
A  fair  is  held  annually  from  the  20  June  to  the  20  .Inly,  the  goods  sold 
exceeding  in  value  R.2,ik)0.0i)O.  The  town  line  includes  inan.\'  factories:  tanneries 
(.Kolmagorov  is  the  most  impdftant  firin)soap  boileries,  candle  works  and  pelisse 


THE  EK  ATERINBnRG-TIIMKX  LINE. 


125 


Ilianillactoril'S,  il    licll    rniindi-y.    Iiclolliiillii-   to   (iili'V    ;mil    suiiplv  illli-   tlH'  i-huirlirs 

i-iiiistriictc'(l  aliiiin'  the  main  Sihcriaii  line  with  liclls;  {hv  iiuu'liiiiory  works  of 
<  liillft,  till'  slii|iliiiil(liiii;-  wliarf  iif  lirnaticv  ami  Kiirliatnv.  and  the  whcal-llour 
mills  of  Tckiitii'v.  Their  total  |)roiluction  is  ahow  R.  ;{.()( ii ),0i ii i. 

The  inhabitants  ol'  the  town  ai'o  mainl.\  ('nj;a,i:od  in  house  iudustrics,  of 
which  carpet  weavinir.  introduced  from  Bukhara  and  omplnyini;:  wom(;n,  occu- 
|ucs  the  first  place.  The  carpets  are  offere(l  for  sale  at  th(^  fairs  of  Ii-lii't  and 
Xi/.lmi  XiAiiMi'oil. 

The  town  of  Tiunien  has  several  times  been  visited  by  Imperial  perso- 
naties.  ns  by  the  Kmpei'or  Alexander  11,  when  heii'  api)arent  to  the  throne, 
"11  the  31  May  1837,  On  the  1  July.  tl!<'  Imperial  (iui'st  crossed  the  Tura  and 
arrived  at  Tobolsk.  For  this  purjiose,  the  inhabitants  of  Tiunien  built  a  line 
boat  with  a  crew  of  11  oarsmen,  takiMi  from  the  most  honoured  citizens  of 
the  town. 

The  Grand  L>uke  \"la(limir  .Mexfindrovich  was  conve.\'ed  in  the  same  boat 
In  the  year  1868,  and  the  (Jrand  Duke  .Vlexei  Alexandrovich  in  1.S73.  The 
I'ii'st  exhibition  of  articles  manufactured  in  tlie  Tobolsk  government  took  jilace 
during  the  stay  of  the  (irand  l>uke  \'ladiinir  Alexandrovich. 

Th(>  banks  of  the  i-ivcr  Tiii"i  have  been  so  strengthened  that  raihva.v 
carriages  may  lie  brought  right  up  to  the  steanu'rs,  which  consideralily  faci- 
liiati's  loading  and  unloading.  Landing  places  belon.ging  to  the  Ship  and 
Ti'ade  (omiiany  (Kui'batov  and  Ignatov),  to  Kornilov,  Trapi^znikov.  Pb'itnikov, 
.Morozov  and  to  the  Ho.iroslov  mining  district,  an'  situ.ited  on  tln'  (|ua.\ .  Tlii'.\ 
are  liirhted  by  elcctricit.\'  and  connected  b.\   telephones. 


Landing-places  for  steamers  in  Tium6n. 


Previous  to  the  construction  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway, the  Ekaterin- 
burg-Tiunien  line,  which  belongs  tn  the  Perm-Tiumen  Railway,  was  the  sole 
means  of  communication  between  the  basins  of  the  rivers  Ui)  and  \'olga,  thi- 


126 


nt'IDK  To  THK  GRKaT   SUiKRIAN   RAILWAY. 


most  iiiiiiortanl  wati'r  systt'ins  of  Asia  ami  I']ui-n|i('.  Tlic  Siln-rian  main  line, 
connoctln.i;'  tlio  southurn  sections  of  ihcsc  basins,  liroiiiiht  new  life  in  a  vast, 
but  scarcely  civilised  country  anil,  altbou.i;!)  somewhat  lesseninu-  the  iinpoi'- 
tance  of  tlie  northern  route,  secured  the  i-omniercial  ile\c|o|inient  ni  tin' 
latter,  by  promotin.ii  the  industr,\'  of  Siberia. 

The  data  concerning  the  Perm-Tiumen  line,  coverinu'  thi'  pei-iod  it  was 
under  the  management  of  the  Government,  from  18.S8  to  1.S98,  clearly  illustrate 
the  growth  of  its  operations.  In  USS8.  the  gross  receipts  were  \{.  5,1 10,005. 
with  an  expenditure  of  R.  .S.228,lt)7,  and  a  revenue  of  R.  l.',K)8.43!S;  the  total 
number  of  versts  run  by  engines  was  2,545.915,  the  total  run  by  trains 
1,941,540:  the  iiumlier  of  passenger-s  carried  was  480,212;  and  the  number  of 
puds  of  goods  conveyed  42,81{),771.  In  1897,  the  gross  receijits  were  R.  7,969,740, 
exiienditure  K.  5,096,784,  revenue  R.  2,S)02,955,  the  total  vei-sts  run  by  engines 
4,7:i8.810.  the  total  run  by  trains  .^,511,655,  the  number  of  passengers  carried 
l,0;i4..'589.  and  the  number  of  puds  of  goods  convex cd  77,046,08.'i.  In  1898,  the 
total  revenue  ainnLinted  to  R.  8.538.778. 


BIBLIOGK.VPHY: 

Review  of  tlie  Samara  governir.eiit.  Siiiii)liiiiciif.s  to  official  reports.  The  centres  of  popula- 
tioii  of  the  Russian  Empire,  pulilished  h\  the  Ceiifr.  Statist.  Com.  of  the  Miiiist.  of  tlie  Int. 
Baslikiria  and  the  Bashkirs  h\  Fioriiisky.  Enropean  .Messenaer.  1874.  JN:  12.  .\nlhn)pi>lmrii'al 
review  of  the  Bashkirs  by  .Maliev.  Kazan.  1876.  The  Sani.ira-Zlatoust  line.  Oreiiliuri;'  branch, 
pnhl.  by  the  Min,  of  Ways  of  Com.  Samara.  1SU6.  The  I'erm-TiumiMi  railway,  pnbl.  by  the  .Min. 
of  Ways  of  Com.  Perm.  1,898.  Concise  review  of  the  operations  of  the  Samara-Zlatoust  Railway 
in  1897.  publ.  by  the  .Min.  of  Ways  of  Com.  1898.  Minins;-  industry  and  mc^tallnrfi-y  at  tlie 
.\6vgorod  e\liibition,  by  Baklevsky,  Netterovsky,  Troyan.  Afrosinn)V  and  others,  tinide  to  the  IrSI. 
Ekaterinburff.   1,899. 


ST. 


Hapnuftf  aas  ^fc  .^  Ujuxuui  C R t- 


The  West  Siberian  plain  and  tlieKirgiz  Steppe  Border- 
land within  the  Range  ot  the  Great  Siberian  Railway. 


Tobblsk  Government.  —  Geographical  position  and  extent.  —  Superficial  structure  and 
orography  within  the  range  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway.— Clinnate.— Flora  and  forests 
of  the  Southern  zone. — Fauna. — Population. — Settlers  and  colonisation. —  Historical  review 
of  the  exile  system  and  of  exile  settlement.  —  Land  tenure.  —  Soil  and  subsoil  of  the 
Ishim  steppe. — Agriculture  and  cattle  breeding. — Butter  manufacture. — Export  of  grain  and 
animal  products.  —  Manufactures,  industry  and  village  industry  within  the  range  of  the" 
Great  Siberian  Railway. — Trade. — The  Kirgfz  Steppe  Borderland.— Review  of  the  terri- 
tories of  Akmolinsk  and  Semipalatinsk. — Mineral  wealth  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe.— Climate. — 

Flora.  —  Fauna.  —  Population. — Aborigenal  Kir- 
giz.— Siberian  Cossack  troops  and  their  organi- 
sation. —  Colonisation  of  the  Kirgi'z  steppe  by 
peasants.  —  Agriculture  and  cattle  breeding. — 
Manufactures  and  industry. — Trade  and  export  of 
animal  products. —  Intercourse  with  West  China 
and  Mongolia.  —  The  Barabi  country. — Urmans 
and  the  river  and  lake  region.  —  The  Tatars  of 
Barab4. — Drainage. — The  future  of  the  country. — 
Bibliography. 


HE  western  section  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railroad 
commences  at  Cheliabinsk  in  the  Orenburg  govern- 
ment, in  the  Transural  belonging  to  the  Asiatic 
continent.  The  portion  of  the  Orenburg  government 
traversed  by  the  Siberian  main  line  Irom  Chelia- 
binsk to  the  border  of  the  Tobolsk  government 
forms  a  plain  where  agriculture  and  cattle-ralsgng  are  extensively  deve- 
loped. This  area  retains  the  same  nature  as  characterises  the  country 
stretching  ea.st  from  Mias,  crossed  by  the  'eastern 'section  of  the  Samara- 
Zlatoiist  line.  The  sphere  of  influence  of  the  Orenbiirg  Transural  section, 
running  a  length  of  2(10  v.  from  west  to  east,  besides  the  Cheliabinsk,  Tr6it.sk- 
Verkhneunilsk  districts  of  the  Orenburg  government,  comprises  also  the 
Shadrinsk  district  of  the  Perm  government. 

The  effect  produced  by  the  railway  upon  trade  is  well  illustrated  by  the 
quantity  of  goods,  consisting  mainly  of  grain,  brought  to  the  railway  sta- 
tions trom  the  fertile  districts  for  further  transmission.  After  having  crossed 
the  administrative  frontier  of  Siberia,  within  2(ii)  versts  of  Cheliabinsk.  the- 
great  Siberian  line  enters  the  confines  of  the  Tobolsk  government,  comprising 


128  GUIDK  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

the  vvestern  bdrdcr  (if  (Ik.'  Siberian  cuntiiuMit  inrhidi'ii  In  ilir  Iiussian  iMiipire 
300  years  ago.  Tlie  superficial  area  of  the  TolxJlslv  .government  amounts  to 
25.156.61  squ.  geogr.  miles  and,  lying  between  72'  54'  N.  lat.  and  54°  59'  N. 
lat..  comprises  18°  lat.  from  north  to  south,  or  a  distance  of  about  1100 
versts.  Among  the  governments  of  Euroi)ean  Ru.ssiii,  not  one  attains  such 
an  extent,  whicli  however  is  surpassed  by  the  Asiatic  governments  of 
Yeniseisk,  Yaliiitsk,  and  the  Littoral.  Tlie  Tobolsk  government  is  equal  to 
about  -  .T  of  European  Russia,  and  is  four  times  as  large  as  Germany.  On  the 
north  it  is  hounded  by  the  Arctic  Ocean,  on  the  west  by  the  governments 
of  Arkhangelsk,  Vologda,  Perm.  Orenburg:  the  Kirgi'z  stepjtes  stretching  to 
the  smith  and  east  are  limited  by  the  Tomsk  and  Yeniseisk  governments. 
The  whole  area  of  the  government  Is  divided  into  ten  unequal  districts. 

squ.  versts.  squ.  miles. 

Beriozov 

Surgut «^^«^^«-2  1"-^16.9 

Tobolsk 109,.^61  2.259.84 

Tara 71,542  1 .478.86 

Turin 67.691  1,398.76 

Tiumen 16,127  .333.25 

Kurgan 20,367  420.79 

Yalutorovsk 19,044  392..52 

Ishira 30,088  787.05 

Tiukalin  46,853  968.18 

1,217,411.2  25,156.61 

The  surface  of  the  Tobolsk  government  jiresenting  a  vast  jilain,  with  a 
general  inclination  from  south  to  north  towards  the  Arctic  Ocean,  is  varied 
in  its  north-western  part  by  the  ridges  of  the  Ural  branches. 

The  Great  Siberian  Railway,  twice  crossing  the  Tobolsk  government,  at 
its  south-western  corner  and  at  the  south-eastern  extremity,  extends  its 
influence  over  the  districts  of  Kurgan,  Ishim,  Tiukalinsk,  and  part  of  the 
Yalutorovsk,  the  three  first  of  which  comprise  the  steppe  region  known 
under  the  collective  name  of  the  Ishim  steppe,  very  fertile  and  suitable  for 
agriculture  and  cattle-breeding,  whereas  the  Yalutorovsk  district  forms  a 
transition  from  the  northern  forest  zone  to  the  steppes.  The  greater  part  of 
the  government  on  the  north  feels  the  influence  of  the  Perm-Tiumen  Railway. 

The  broken  surface  of  the  Ishim  stei)pe,  intersected  by  ridges,  contains 
numerous  fresh-water  brackish,  alkaline,  and  sulphurous  lakes.  Forests  con- 
sisting chiefly  of  birch,  aspen,  and  willow  are  met  within  (lie  norlhei'n  part, 
whereas  the  south  is  dotted  with  groves  and  covered  with  young  wood. 
Salt  marshes  occur  more  and  more  frecjuentiy  farther  south,  towards  the 
limit  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe,  where  at  some  points  the  soil  also  contains  salt. 
The  soil  and  subsoil  of  the  vast  Tobolsk  government,  devoid  of  hard  rocks 
raised  by  volcanic  action,  excepting  the  branches  of  the  Ural,  consists  of 
friable  sediments  of  more  recent  formation;  tliis  is  the  reason  why  this  go- 
vernment is  but  poorly  provided  with  minerals. 

As  a  result  of  this  scarcity,  stone  for  building  lias  to  be  lu-ought  from 
the  Orenburg  and  Perm  governments,  and  lime  from  the  Scinlpalatinsk  ter- 
ritory. Th(>  southern  more  populous  and  fertile  part  of  the  government  is 
surmundcd  by  the  tril)iitaries  of  the  navigable  Irtysh  which  fluws  on  the  left 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  PI,  MN. 


V29 


iiii"  till'  Ob.  The  Isliini  iiiid  Toh.il  are  the  most  imiim-tani  Uihiitaries  nf  the 
htysh.  Tlu-  Isliim  oiitcriiiir  tlio  confinos  nf  tin-  Tulnilsk  irovoi-nmont  heyoiul 
llic  town  of  Pftropavlovsk,  flows  lor  a  (listanci-  of  'M)  viTsts  across  the 
Ishiiii  and  Tiira  distriets;  its  course  throii.:;li  tlie  Ishim  district  is  3()t)  versts 
lonsr.  Ratlin.i;  is  practised  on  this  river,  although  it  miirht  be  adapted  for 
reirular  naviiration.  The  river-bed  consists  of  sand  and  lime;  its  banks  are 
bordereil  by  wide  stretchinii;  meadows  which  in  spring  are  flooded  by  the 
swollen  waters. 

The  usual  widtii    of   the    riviT    l.cd  is  about  60  sazhens.    The  Toluil  tra- 
verses   the  i\ur;r:in    and  pari  iif   tlif  Yalutorovsk   district,  and   alter   flowing 


Town  of  Tob6Isk 


ihrough  the  Tium.-n  and  Tobc)lsk  districts  falls  into  the  Irtysh  near  tlie  town 
of  Tobolsk.  The  total  length  of  its  course  through  the  government  being  72:! 
versts,  it  Hows  through  the  Kurgan  district  for  a  distance  of  275  versts. 
Ihrough  the  Yalutorovsk  district  a  distance  of  2W  versts,  and  through  that 
of  Tinmen,  1.55  versts.  The  breadth  of  the  river  bed  varies  from  20  to  60  sazhens. 
with  a  depth  of  about  one  sazhen  and  a  half.  Pursuing  its  course  through  the 
Tobolsk  government  for  a  distance  of  93  versts.  the  river  widens  to  about 
11(1  sazhcns.  with  a  depth  of  alioul  two  .sazhens.  From  its  mouth  to  the  town 
of  Yalutorovsk.  small  steamers  ply  on  the  river:  above  Yalutonivsk  to  Kur- 
iran  navigation  is  possible  only  in  sprin.ir. 

The  abundance  of  swami)s  and  lakes  is  to  be  explained  by  the  orogra- 
phical  character  of  the  country,  its  inclination  towards  the  north  and  the 
absence  of  elevations.  The  swamps  covering  immense  areas  in  the  north  of 
the  .v'overnment,  still  further  pass  into  lundra  stretching  far  over  the  nor- 
thern deserts. 

Swamps  also  occur  freiiuently  in  the  southern  iiart  of  the  government 
in  the  Yalutorovsk,  Ishim  and  Tiukalinsk  districts  but,  without  attaining 
such  an  exteiu.  they  here  give  place  to  lakes.  The  Tobolsk  government, 
with  the    exception  of    its  northern  border,  cimtains    more  than    l.OiK)  lakes: 


130 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


47s  lie  in  tilt'  luir.iiiin  liistriet.  82!»  in  tlir  Valiilonivsk.  2n4  in  tln'  Tiunien,  2(K) 
ill  tlie  Tiukalinsk.  152  in  Uic  Tobolsk,  124  in  the  Ishi'm  and  112  in  the  Tiiia 
districts.  The  rise  and  tali  of  the  water-level  observed  in  many  swamps  and 
lakes,  is  a  fharacteristic  and  as  yet  iinsufnciently  explained  phenomenon 
Water  systems  sometimes  disappear  altoirether,  and  attain  fill  with  water 
and  fish  after  the  lapse  of  many  years.  As  a  result  of  this  strange  fact,  many 
cultivated  spots  meadows  and  arable  land  lose  their  fertility  for  certain  |)e- 
riods,  and  afterwards  recover  it.  The  majority  of  the  fresh-water  lakes  situ- 
ated in  the  southern  steppes  of  the  irovernnient  have  sloi)ing  reed-covered 
shores  and  an  oozy  and  limy  Imttoui:  the  water  is  yellow  and  seems  to  be 
covered  with  slime,  which  comes  partly  tVom  the  mud  at  the  bottom,  partly 
from  the  stagnancy  of  the  water  heated  by  the  sun,  and  also  from  the  uuano 
of  the  birds,  liuildins  their  nests  on  the  shores  of  the  lakes. 


Museum  in  the  town  of  Tob6!sk. 

The  brackish  and  bitter  lakes-  have  no  outlet  and  are  scattered  very 
irregularly  over  the  Tiil)6lsk  steppes,  alternating  with  fresh-water  lakes. 
Among  the  first,  the  most  important  are:  I,ake  .\khtabal  in  the  Kurgan  di- 
strict, the  tJreat  and  Small  Medvt'zhie  in  the  Ishini  district,  and  the  (ilubo- 
koe  and  Kolmagorovskoe  in  the  Tiukalinsk  elistrict;  they  all  contain  salt 
which  is  hardly  worked  at  all. 

The  climate  of  the  Tobolsk  government  is  very  severe,  willi  a  mean 
temperature  inferior  to  that  of  the  corresptuiding  zones  in  European  Russia. 
The  winters  arc  colder  and  the  ditTerence  between  summer  and  winter  tem- 
perature is  more  exti'eme  than  in  the  countries  lying  west  of  the  I'rill 
chain.  The  continental  nature  of  the  climate  of  the  Tobolsk  government  is 
more   strikingly  maiked    than    in  European    Hu.ssia.    January.    February  and 


I 


THE  WEST  SIBERLVX  PLAIN. 


181 


[lei-omluT  are  the  coldest  montlis.  The  numher  cif  i-old  days,  with  a  teiii|pe- 
rature  <>i"  —20^  is  2(5  in  Kurgan.  27  in  Ishini  The  following  are  the  hisrhest 
and  lowest  temperatures  of  these  localities: 


Knrjian- . 
Ishiin  . . 


Cold. 

Hoal. 

I>ifl'erenft» 

35' 

+33° 

t>8' 

-42° 

+29° 

-V 

Karly  frosts  in  autumn,  and  th(>  morninir  frosts  in  spring  have  a  most 
disastrous  etVect  iipon  airricultuie  In  the  Kuriran  district  the  temperature 
falls  sometimes  below 
zero  in  the  hej^inniui: 
of  September:  while  in 
the  Ishim  district,  the 
sainethini:  occurs  at  the 
end  i)f  Auirnst,  whereas 
the  mornin.ir  frosts  last 
to  the  be.irinning  of  June 
in  both  districts.  Thus 
July  is  the  only  warm 
month.  In  cunseiiuence 
of  the  continental  cli- 
mate of  the  government. 
the  amount  of  moisture 
is  insignificant,  and  the 
rainfall  in  the  Kuriran 
and  Ishim  districts  ist 
wice  less  than  that  in 
the    corresponding  lati-  Tr- A-i...,.:  ■nut  ■•,  ■? ::  i 

tudes  of  European  Rus- 
sia. The  greatest  rainfall  occurs  in  July.  The  absence  of  snow    in  winter  se- 
verely   aflects    agriculture.   The    prevailing  winds  blow  from  the   west    and 
south-west. 

.\lthough  the  severe  conditions  of  climate  exert  a  certain  eflect  on  the 
flora,  the  existing  vegetation  of  the  Ishim  steppe  but  slightly  differs  tVom 
that  of  the  correspondinir  /.ones  in  European  Russia. 

The  few  species  unknown  there  and  occurring  on  the  eastern  sides  ol 
the  L'ral  within  the  confines  of  the  Tobolsk  government,  are  represented  by 
varieties  of  anemone  (A.  reflexa,  altaica,  pensylvanica),  by  a  form  of  peony 
(Paeonia  annniala),  some  cruciferae  (Dentaria  tenuifolia,  Chorispara  sibirica. 
Hesperis  aprica),  a  kind  of  violet  (Viola  uniflorai,  the  Lychia  sibirica  of  the 
genus  of  pinks,  some  varieties  of  wormwood  (.Vrtemisia  desertorum,  A.  Tur- 
czanowiana.  niacranta,  latifolia),  some  forms  of  gentian  ((i.  auriculata. 
aiiuatica,  Halenia  sibirica). 

The  tree  vegetation  has  quite  an  other  character  beyond  the  I'nil:  both 
species  of  oak  (Quercus  sessilifloia.  Q.  pedunculatal  here  disappear  altoge- 
ther, and  nut-tree  (Corylus  avellana),  elm  (L'lmus  camiiestris,  U.  peduncu- 
latal,   all    kinds    of    maple    (Acen,    ash    (Fraximus    excelsiori,    apple    tree 

'(Pyrus    malusi.    linden    (Tilia    jtarviolia).   which    thickly    clothe   the  countn- 
:il'Mig  the  rivers  Tavda  and  Tura,  within    the  Tinmen  and  Turinsk    districts, 

I  arc  absent  from  the  steppe  regions  of  the  Tobolsk  government,    .\lmost   the 
sole  form  of    arboreal  vegetation    in  the    stepite  is   the    birch,  with    a  slight 


132 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


n.l 

Illiiis.!    |il;ico'<-     Tlu-  fori'sts 

(•n 

liaiik  iif  ilic  Toliol,  mill  on 

ihi 

■  Toliiilsk    irdViTiuniMil.  are 

ailiiiixlui'c  of  as|HMi  and  willow  noar  rhers 
jiTow  only  hcyoiiil  the  rciiion  o|'  liii'i'h,  mi  tlir 
the  right  side  of  the  h'tysh. 

The  forests,  lying  in  the  southern   iiari  of  the  Toli. 
divided  for  jturposos  of  administration  as  follows: 

1)  Yalutorovsk,  comprisinu-  the  north  and  the  river  Tobol.  willi  i-ich  tip 
forests  beloniring  to  the  foi-mer  brandy  distillei'ies  of  the  State, 

2)  Boravliausk,  along  the  Iset,  west  Of  the  first,  contains  fir  and  foliage 
woods.  Both  these  divisions,  which  raft  timber  to  the  north,  liave  but  small 
importance  in  the  economy  of  the  southern  Ishini  ste])pe. 

3)  Tiie  Kurgan  division,  stretching  along  the  Tobul.  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  town  of  Kurgan,  in  tlie  western  part  of  the  government,  contains 
85,U00  desiatins  of  forest,  with  IS.OK)  of  arable  land.  The  forests  consist  mainly 
of  fir-trees,  Avith  a  slight  admixture  of  other  species.  These  forests  supply 
the  Siberian  railway  with  wood,  ties  and  telegrajih  ]ioles.  and  are  cimside- 
rably  exhausted  by  it. 

4)  The  Kurgan  steppe  division  contains  small  groves  of  birch  and 
other  foliage  trees,  and  is  entirely  devoid  of  fir-trees.  These  plantations  dale 
from  a  rather  recent  period,  and  occur  in  parts  of  the  steppe  which  former 
ly  were  occupied  by  lakes,  they  may  not  be  exploited,  and  are  carefully  pre- 
served: only  dry  and  fallen  trees  are   removed. 

5)  The  Lshiui  division  comjirises  about  110,(XW  desiatins  of  scanty  birch 
woods. 

a)  The  steppe  division  of  Ishim  bordered  by  the  Kirgiz  stepi^e  includes 
l>ir.ch  forests,  scattered  in  copses  and  groves  among  meadows. 

7i  The  Tiukalfnsk  division  consists  of  about  l()t),(XTn  desiatins  clothed 
with  foliage  trees  and  marsh  firs.  In  this  section  much  land  is  allottrd  to 
emigi-ant  settlements. 

8)  The  steppe  division  of  Tiukalinsk  contains  only  young  birch  wood.  The 

rapid  extermination  of  forests  in  Sibeiia 
nuiy  be  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  some 
tiO  or  70  years  ago  the  Tiukalinsk  district 
was  thickly  covered  with  wood;  now  this 
same  locality  is  converted  into  steppe.  The 
chief  reason  for  this  extraordinary  disa|)- 
pearance  of  forests  lies  in  the  total  absence 
until  lately  of  any  system  regulating  their 
use.  It  is  onl,\  since  ISOO  that  the  (iovern- 
luent  put  a  restraint  lUi  the  disastrous 
ex|iloitation  of  the  forests,  and  in  1884 
established  a  forest  department  as  in 
Russia. 

The  IVeiiuent  Hies,  spreading  someti- 
mes over  a  thousands  ([uare  versts,  cause 
terrible  havoc  in  the  forests.  Their  cause 
is  commonly  to  be  traced  to  the  existing 
custom  of  burning  ha,\  fields  practised  by 
Iieasants  and  natives  with  a  view  to  des 
Iroying  weeds  and  improving  the  grass, 
f  forests  in  Siberia,  [larticularly  in  the 
crian  Railwav,  wheiv  the\   >  icid    Inel  and 


Miraculous  image  of  the  Holy  Virgin  of  Abalik. 


The  systematic  oxterniinatiou 
regions  traversed  liv  the  (ii-eai  Si 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  PLAIN. 


13;5 


mali'i'ial  I'oi'  its  consn-iiclioii,  was  lirmiiihl  hct'orc  a  special  cniiinrLtliM'  ol' 
nu'inKers  of  the  Central  Fnn'strx  Ite|iiirtiiieiit.  deleiiated  to  Sil)ei-ia  b.\  Iin|ie- 
rial  ciiniiiiaiKl.  Tlie  t'auiia  of  llio  Tobolsk  fidverniuenl  is  rich  anil  varieil  onl\' 
in  the  iierlh,  within  the  forest  zone  and  in  the  (iK  hasin  united  to  the  Acetic 
Ocean,  whei-eas  the  sout- 
hern slei>|"'s  containa  fau- 
na which  hut  sliirhtly  di- 
fers  from  that  of  Huropean 
Russia. 

The  followinir  animals 
occur  in  this  part  of  the 
U-rritory  and  in  the  oxis- 
tini;  fort'sts:  the  hrown 
bear,  the  elk,  the  glutton, 
the  lynx,  the  ermine.manx 
kinds  of  rodents,  the  com- 
mon and  striped  si|uirr(d, 
the  badger,  the  wolf,  the 
fox,  the  polecat  (Mustela 
foetoriussibiriciisl.thebat. 
the  shrewmouse.  the  mole, 
the  Siberian  marmot,  the 
harvest  mouse,  the  water 
rat.  the  white  hare. 

.Vnnmg  birds  are:  the 
black  -  cock  (Tetrao  tet- 
raxi.  the  capercailzie  (T 
urogallusi,  the  white  part- 
ridge (Lagopus  albus),  the 
grey  partrid.iie  (Perdrix  ci- 
nerea),  the  starna,  the 
wood  hen  (Pterocle),  the 
quail  (foturnix  commu- 
nis), the  bustard  (Otis  tar- 
da), the  lield-duck  (0.  tet- 
rax),  the  tirwit  (Vanellus  cristatus),  the  river  plover  (Chaiadrius  hiaticiilus) 
the  grey  crane  (Grus  cinerea),  the  bittern  i.\.  stidlaris),  a  kind  of  snipe  iXu- 
menius  aryatus),  the  Liniosa  aegocephala,  the  sand  piper  (Machetas  pugnans). 
the  snii)e  (Scolopax  rustilica).  two  species  of  snipes  (S.  gallinago,  8.  galli- 
nulal,  the  Totanus  glottis,  the  crake  (Crex  pralensis),  the  coot  (Fulica  atra), 
the  singing  swan  (Cygnus  musicus),  the  .grey  goose  (Anser  cinereus),  diffe- 
rent kinds  of  ducks  f.\nas). 

Birds  of  prey:  the  eagle  (.Vpiila  clanga).  the  kestrel  (Faico  tinnunculus), 
the  hawk  (F.  vesperinus),  (.\stur  palumbarius),  the  wood  owl  (Strix  otus), 
iS.  aluco).  (.S.  passerina),  the  woodpecker  (Picus  major),  'the  cuckoo  (Cucu- 
lus  canorus),  the  hoopoo  (I'papa  epops),  the  blackbird  (Turdus  pilaris),  the 
ffold-hammer  (Oriolus  galbula).  (Lanius  exi-ubitnr).  the  rook  (Corvus  frugile- 
gus),  the  Jack-daw  (f.  monedula),  the  grey  crow  (C.  cornix),  the  mag-pie 
(C.  pica),  the  nut-hatch  iXucifraga  cariocatactes),  the.jay  ((iarrulus  glandarius), 
the  conimon  starling  (Sturnus  vulir.-iris).  the  cross-bill  (Loxia  curvii-ostria), 
the  turtle  dove  (Columba  turtur). 


Ikonostasis  in  the  monastery  of  Abalak. 


134 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


'Phf  I'ojjtilps  are:  tln'  coiniuon  and  tin-  slcpin^  lizard  (Lai'crta  vipiTa  and 
L.  miiralis),  the  vipor  (N'ipcra  hems). 

Among  the  fish  there  are:  the  sterlet  (Accipenser  rutheniisi,  the  nelina 
(Salmo  nelma),  the  lote  (Gadus  lota),  the  pike,  the  perch,  the  cnician  carp, 
the  common  gremille,  the  bream,  the  sandre,  the  sea-eel. 

The  insects  are  almost  the  same  as  in  European  Russia.  The  thiipsiCn- 
lex  reptans),  a  torture  to  both  man  and  beast,  occurs  in  multitudes.  The 
cicada  (Gomphocerus,  Pezotettix,  Stethophyma  and  others)  appears  at  intervals 
in  great  numbers  in  the  agricultural  zone,  as  well  as  the  priisik  (f'aloptenus 
italicus)  which  devastates  fields  and  meadows. 

According  to  the  census  of  1897.  the  populatiim  of  the  goveiiiuicnt 
amounted  to  1,4.S8.484  (711,982  in.  and  72B,.502  f.)  shewing  an  increase  of  125,0,84 
%vhen  compared  with  the  statistics  of  1S90(1..S1:5,400),  The  jxipulation  is  distri- 
buted among  the  districts  in  the  following  manner: 

ni«;TPirTc:  Total  p<)|uil!ition.  To  a  sqiijir'"        To  a  nqiiare 

uiaiKioia.  Malps.  Females.  Both  sexes,    veist  in  1KI7.      verst  in  18(10. 

Ishim  i:^:?,844  1:36.614  270,46:3              7.1  6.5 

Kurgan 127,1:35  1.34.9:37  262,072  12.8  11.1 

Tiukalinsk 106,265  101.451  207,716              4.4  2.9 

Yalutor6v.sk....  91..350  98,7:36  190,096  10.0  9.5 

Tara  79,64.3  79,929  1.59.572              2.2  2.2 

Tob61.sk  64,058  6:3,410  127.965              1.1  1.2 

Tinmen 60,154  61,677  121,s.il              7.5  5.7 

Turin  :34,715  .35,655              70..370              1.0  1.0 

Beriozov 10,788  9.856             20,644  1 

Surgut 4,020  3,7:32               7,752  /          ""'^  "•  "' 

1.18  1.08 

The  population  is  very  irregularly  distributed  in  the  .government,  which 
includes    immense   and   completely   desert   areas   in    the  north,  whereas  the 


Types  of  Satnoydds  (phot,  by  Tul^nkov). 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  VL\IS. 


135 


south  is  ilurkl\  |iii|iulaiiMl.  The  sicpiic  rt'uion.  wiihiii  ilir  riiii;;i'  ciT  llii'  iii:iin 
Sihi'i-ian  line  contains  liic  liTcati'si  nunihcr  ol'  inlialiilauls;  70  per  cciU  of  the 
total  iui|)iilation  ainnuntiiiir  to  it;i(i..-U7.  is  conccinratwl  in  tiio  st<'pi)c 
districts  of  Kursaii.  Isliim.  Yaiiitonivsk  and  Tiui<alinsi<.  The  inlialiilants  of 
the  governnient  are  ethriosnipiiically  (iivi<it'(l  into  tliree  jiroups:  the  Russians 
constitute  98  percent, the  natives  (Tati'iis.  Unlvharians,  Kir.a;iz,  Ostiaks,  Samo- 
yeds,  VoiTi'ils')  4  percent:  other  tribes,  coinp- 
risinir  Kiniis,  Ciennans,  Poles,  Jews,  (i,\  p- 
.sies.  .!  per  cent. 

.Vinon.sr  ti\e  natives,  onl.v  Tatars,  Liukh;i- 
rians  and  Kirgiz  are  met  within  the  sou- 
thern districts,  inchided  in  the  Ishim  steppe 
reirion.  Tiie  Tatars  and  Bukharians  con- 
centrated in  a  few  settlements  in  ihelshiin 
and  Yaliitori')Vsk  districts,  occupy  them- 
selves with  agriculture,  fishing  and  trade. 
and  profess  the  Mohammedan  religion.  The 
Kirgiz  are  met  with  in  the  Ishim  and  Tiii- 
kalinsk  districts  without  any  permaiieni 
al)odes;  the.\  are  oljliged  to  l)e  fiirnisln'il 
with  passjiorts.  They  are  nomadic  cattle 
breeders  and  Mohammedans.  Finns  and 
Germans  hold  the  first  place  among  other 
nationalities  as  regards  their  number;  then 
come  Poles,  Jews  and  Gypsies.  The  first 
predominate  in  the  Tiukalinsk  district 
where  the  volost  of  Ytdan,  situated  near 
the  stations  of  Shadrinsk  and  Tatsirskaya 
of  the  West-Siberian  Raihva.\'  contains  the  Lutheran  colonies  of  Helsingfoi-s. 
Xiirva.  Riga  and  Revel,  niimliering  a  poi>ulation  of  5,(KK1  souls.  Thousands  of 
rebtdlious  Poles  were  settled  throughout  the  Tobolsk  government.  The  majo- 
rity retured  to  their  own  country  whil(>  the  rest  were  distributed  over  the 
Siberian  territory.  Their  descendants  are  now  met  with  in  the  Ishim  and  Tin- 
kalinslc  districts.  The  Jews  mostly  inhabit  Tinkalin.sk.  The  Gypsies  came  to 
the  Tobolsk  government  at  the  beginning  of  the  XIX  century  and  are  now 
scattered  tliroughout  the  government  excepting  its  northern  part.  They  were 
admitted  to  the  peasant  communities  and  received  grants  of  land;  they,  ho- 
wever, do  not  occupy  themselves  with  a.icriculture.  but  lead  the  life  of  no- 
mads. The  Russians  are  the  predominating  element  of  the  population,  being 
either  the  descendants  of  the  first  settlers  of  Sil)eria  who  arrived  there  at  the 
beginning  of  the  X\'I  ciMitury.  or  recent  emigrants  and  exiles  from  different 
parts  of  Russia.  The  Sibiriaks  or  descendants  of  the  first  settlers  are  of  ave- 
rage height,  square  built,  with  lirown  hair;  the  women  are  smaller,  vigorous 
and  ugly.  The  Sibiriaks  are  not  communicative,  their  dialect  is  mixed  with 
many  provincial  words.  The  peasants  of  Siberia  hardly  knew  serfdom:  on  the 
day  of  the  liberation  of  the  serfs,  th.e  19  Fel)ruary  IStjI,  the  Tolxilsk  govern- 
ment contained  it  is  true  .3,002  serfs  belonging  to  2:3  landowners,  but  they 
were  only  nominally  so  and  even  in  most  cases  were  not  liable  to  any  tax. 

Voluntary  emigration  from  Kuropean  Russia  to  Siberia  lasted  during 
three  centuries,  directing  its  course  through  the  Ural,  bordering  upon  the 
Tobolsk    government.    After    the    vear    1«70,    the   water   communications   of 


.l 

i 

L|'",'/€^ 

f 

i 

^^ 

The  Os1i<ik  Prince  Arlenzic 
(phot,  by  Poliakbv). 


136 


(;i  IDE  Til  TIIK  liKKAT    SIBIOUIAN    UAILWAY- 


Western  Silu'i'ia  received  a  further  (lrveln|iinenl.  and  the  emiiri'iUioii  mnvc- 
ment  kept  mostly  to  the  way  throu.i;:h  Pitiii  and  Tinmen.  The  station  lor 
emiii'rants  organised  in  18S3  in  the  town  of  Tinmen  to  rej^uhite  the  move- 
ment and  to  atTord  medical  assistance,  Ijecame  the  chi(>f  centre  whence  the 
voluntary  settlers  were  dircted  to  the  localities  to  he  colonised  in  the  vast 
Siberian  territory.  They  were  forwarded  from  Xizhni-Xovgorod  on  barges 
which  towed  by  steamers  i)rought  them  to  Perm,  thence  they  were  sent  on 
to  Tinmen,  since  the  opening  of  traffic  on  tlie  I'erm-Tiumen,  line  in  1SS3. 
Their  further  movement  dependeil  upon  the  spot  destined  for  their  final  settle- 
ment. The  colonists  who  intended  to  stay  in  the  Tobiilsk  government  were 
conveyed  by  cart  from  Tinmen  to  the  iilace  of  their  destination,  after  having 
received  the  necessary  information  from  the  official  entrusted  with  the  regu- 
liition  of  the  emigration  movement.  Those  bound  for  the  Tomsk  government 
and  thence  for  Eastern  Siberia,  were  also  conveyed  to  Tom.sk  by  barges 
towed  by  steamers.  However  since  the  opening  of  traffic  on  the  West-Sibe- 
rian section  from  Cheliabinsk  to  Kurgan,  the  Perm-Tiumen  line  has  lost  its 
prior  importance,  and  the  majority  of  settlers  proceed  by  the  SamAra-Zlatotist 
line  through  Cheliabinsk,  and  further  by  the  Great  Siberian  Railway. 

According  to  the  data  of  the  Tinmen  registration  office  under  the  manage- 
ment  of   Mr.    Arkhipov,    who    for   a   period    of    17  years  has  been"  occupied 

with  the  regulation  of  the  movement,  about 
500,000  voluntary  settlers  have  passed 
through  Tinmen.  Above  80  percent  of  the 
total  nun\l)er  settled  in  the  territory  of 
Western  Siberia,  for  the  most  part  in  the 
Tomsk  government.  Upon  the  opening  of 
traffic  to  the  town  of  Kurgan  in  1894,  tlie 
movement  took  another  route,  and  Kur- 
gan became  for  some  time  the  terminus 
of  the  emigration  movement  on  the  Sibe- 
rian Railway.  During  the  summer"of  1H94, 
ilie  number  of  t>migrants  received  and  for- 
warded from  Kurgan  exceeded  7.000.  \t 
that  time  CheliaJiinsk,  which  is  now  the 
fii'st  emigration  station,  was  not  yet  fully 
organised.  .\t  the  end  of  the  spring  of 
18a=i.  when  the  railway  line  was  opened 
as  far  as  Omsk,  and  continued  further  to 
the  Junction  with  the  river  Oh.  above  91.0(K) 
emigrants  were  conveyed  by  it  in  the  covinse 
of  a  year. 

In  lS9(i,  wlien  (larties  of  emigrants 
could  be  sent  direct  from  Cheliabinsk  to 
Om.sk,  the  Inovement  still  further  increas(^d  and  during  this  yt-ar  rose  to 
Hl'i.OCKl  souls,  28,(KX)  of  whom  however  including  pioneers,  returned  to  their 
former  homes.  At  the  same  time,  medical  and  feeding  stations  were  organi- 
sed at  the  station  of  Petukhovo,  Petropavlo.sk,  Omsk  and  Tatarskaya,  to  as- 
sist the  settlers  colonising  the  free  lands  of  the  fshim  steppe,  within  the 
range  of  the  Siberian  main-line.  The  emigration  station  at  Cheliabinsk  was 
(■(msiderably  extended  by  the  spring  of  1S97.  with  a  view  to  uieet  th(^  further 
development  of  the  movement:  warm  wooden  liarracks  were  made    ready  for 


The  Ostiak  Prince  and  Princess  Artenziev 
(phot,  by  Poliak6v). 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  PLAIN. 


137 


ihe  accomodation  of  l,5iK)  emiirrant.s.  ami  a  hospital  barrack  to  hold  70  hods. 
Th<>  kettles  for  the  i>re|)aration  of  food  have  been  increased  and  the  baths 
and  laundries  rebuilt.  A  special  liranch  line  coming  straight  up  to  the  bar- 
racks was  constructed  from  Cheliabin.sk  to  the  emigration  station,  in  isi)7 
the  movement  -was  somewhat  restrained  by  certain  measures  taken  by  the 
Government:  the  numbers  hardly  exceeded  S<X(KM\  In  189S  it  increased 
again  and  during  this  year  rose  to  2(in,t>45,  inclusive  of  about  So.aiit  pioneers. 
Since  the  opening  of  traffic  on  the  Great  Siberian  main  line,  about  tiiKMUHi 
people  have  passed  through  Cheliabinsk  within  a  period  of  five  years. 

The  emigrants  arriving  in  the  Tolnilsk  government  either  settled  on  the 
lantls  in  the  district  officially  allotted  for  colonisation,  and  founded  new 
settlements,  or  were  added  to  the  original  peasant  population  after  obtaining 
the  consent  of  the  community. 

Since  the  opening  of  traffic  on  the  Great  Siberian  main  line  and  the 
consequent  increase  in  the  emigration  movement,  ^.la)  people  settled  in  the 
Tobolsk  government  in  1894:  21,386  in  the  year  189,5,  and  6,889  families  repre- 
senting 41.791  persons  in  1896:  ninety  four  new  settlements  have  been  created 
in  the  country.  The  rush  for  the  Tol)c)lsk 
government  markedly  decreased  during 
the  following  years  in  consequence  of  the 
overdowing  of  the  steppe  districts.  The  in- 
habitants of  the  Chornigov  government 
hold  the  first  idace  among  the  cnntingeni 
of  settlers  in  the  Tobolsk  government, 
then  follow  in  order  those  of  the  Orlov. 
Poltava,  Vitebsk.  Grodno,  Smolensk.  Kursk. 
Kharkov.  Khersc'in  and  Tula  governments. 
The  immense  human  flood  moving  along 
the  Siberian  line  soon  filled  the  stejipe 
districts  of  the  Tobolsk  government,  al- 
lotted for  colonisation,  so  as  to  leave  free 
only  the  wooded  sections  called  „urnians'' 
comprised  in  the  T;ira  district,  along  the 
tributaries  of  the  Irtysh,  the  rivers  I'ya. 
Shishka  and  Tuya.  The  following  constru- 
ctions were  un(iertaken  at  the  cost  of  the 
Emperor  .Alexander's  III  fund  to  satisfv  the 

£.*-.;,.:#. .»i    „    ^j         r  *u  .*i  I       '..  ..  Type  of  an  old  Osti4k  woman  (phot,  by  Poliak6v(. 

spiritual  needs  of  the  settlers  and   of  the 

population  of   the  Tolxdsk    government    comprised    within    the   range  of  the 

Great  Siberian  Railway.  A  church  and  a  i)arish    school  were    built    near  the 

station    of   .Makiishino:  10  churches  and  2.5  schools  were   erected  in  different 

emigration    settlements:    IS    churches   and    12  schools  are  still  in  process  of 

construction. 

The  exiles  form  8  to  9  percent  of  the  total  population.  The  exile  system 
which  was  introduced  after  the  occupation  of  Siberia  in  the  XVI  century  at 
first  served  as  a  mitigation  of  the  death  sentence  pronounced  over  persons  of 
high  rank,  of  whom  the  Government  wished  to  get  rid.  In  cour.se  of  time  the 
lower  classes  were  also  banished  to  Siberia.  .V  regular  exile  system  was 
established  only  at  the  beginning  of  the  XIX  century.  Th.>  _Bell  of  Uglich". 
which  sounded  the  alarm  at  the  time  of  the  murder  of  the  Tsaivvich  E»mitry 
on  the  loth  May  1591,  was  one  of  the  first  exiles  to  the  Tobolsk  government. 


138 


OnnE  TO  THK  GRKAT  SIHKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


The  two  brritlicrs  Rumanov,  Ivan  and  Vasili  Xikitovich.  tln'  "^'ui'icvs.  Zaklia- 
rins,  wore  Ijanished  in  ItiOl  by  Hni'i's  (ioduni')V  to  the  town  nt  I't'lyiii,  which 
is  now  a  village  in  tlic  ']\irinsl<  district  of  tlir  Toli(ilsl<  uovcrnnicni-  rriiicc 
P.  I.  Pronsky,  Prince  M.  Hid()sid.sl<y.  Prince  A.  \'.  I.oliiinov-ljd.sti'ivsky.  I'l'ince 
1.  X.  Khovansky,  R.  R.  \'s(''volozlisky.  Princi'  \'  \  l\oniad;'uiovsky,  tlie  llet- 
nian  Sanioili'iviidi.  were  anion.a;  the  slatesnifii  liaiiishcd  In  Siberia  in  the 
XVII  centm'y. 

A  groat  nnndier  of  exiles  of  mark  were  sent  to  the  T(ib('iisk  iioveninieiil 
in  the  XVIII  century,  among  thens  being  prince  M('nsliiko\'  with  iiis  sun  and 
daughter  Mary,  the  affianced  Ijride  of  the  l']nii>eror  Peter  11;  the  Dolgoriikovs 
with  Natalia  Horisovna.  daughter  of  Count  Sherenietev,  niai'ried  to  Prince 
Ivan  Alexeievich  L)olgorukov,  and  the  Princess  Catherine,  the  affianc(Hl  bride 
of  the  Kniperor  Peter  II;  Count  A.  1.  Usterinan  with  his  wife,  Hiron  with  his 
wife,  and  Mi'nikh.  At  the  beginning  of  the  XIX  centm-y,  the  Tobolsk  govern- 
ment was  a  ])lace  of  exile  for  Polish  rebels,  also  for  Russians  sentenced  to 
(>xile  for  the  mutiny  of  the  fourteenth  December  1S2').  In  the  XVll  century, 
the  exile  system  was  I'egulated  by  the  Strelets  Court,  and  the  Detective 
Court  in  the  next. 

Till  tlie  year  bSOT,  the  control  and  registration  of  exiles  was  etlected  in 
\'ci-kluiti'ii-ii',  at  the  frontier  of  Siberia.  A  general  council  for  the  regulation 
of  exile  was  established  in  Tinmen  in  the  same  year,  and  entrusted  with  the 
registration  and  distribution  of  the  exiles  troughout  the  governments  of  Sibe- 
ria. This  however  was  not  done  with  sufficient  care,  and  as  in  many  cases 
there  were  no  documents  affording  evidence  as  to  the  number  of  exiles,  no 
statistics  could  be  collected  till  1823  when  a  special  Exile  Office  was  esta- 
blished at  Tobolsk.  The  existing  documents  of  this  office  which  are  now 
kept  in  Tinmen,  the  starting  point  for  exiles  forwarded  along  the  water  ways 
of  Sil)eria,  shew  within  a  period  of  75  years,  from  1823  to  1898,  a  total  of 
(i91,8t)6   exiles  followed    by   216,3(i()   voluntary    companions,  or   in   all   1H)8,2(H). 

Within  the  last  five  years  (1893—1897) 
.■)0,(i32   exiles   were  forwarded  to  Sibe  ria 


with  the  addition  of  30,061    voluntary  fol- 

^1^  ^^^  lowers,  which  shews  an  average  of  10,0(Hi 

m^^lk  ^^B^  exiles  and  (i.ixo  voluntary  companions  pel' 

JHB^A.  fl^^^Hi  During  the    same    period  of  75  years, 

^^^^^^^^^  ^S^tfr^^  )S(l,Sti7  criminals  of  both  sexes  and  106,778 
^^^^^^^^^n%wik[7  SH  voluntary  compani(nis.  or  a  total  of  293,645 
^^^HH^^^VAl '  "^  ^^  '|H  exiles,  were  banished  to  the  Tobolsk  go- 
^^^mHm^9|||_  ^y      vernment  and  added  to  its  population.  Du- 

ring the  five  years  (1893—1897)  an  ave- 
rage of  3,(X)0  exiles  of  this  class  with  2,7(>i 
voluntary  followers,  were  deported  to  the  same  government  (total  15,231 
exiles,  13.594,  voluntary  followers).  Within  the  space  of  75  years  one  thii-d 
of  tlie  total  number  of  exiles  was  settled  in  the  Tobolsk  government.  The 
exiles  who  were  forward(^d  of  late  to  the  Tobolsk  government  comprise  the 
following  divisions; 

1)  Those    condemned  lor   a  short    period,    brought   to    the    prison  of  To- 
bolsk, and  after  a  stage  of  hard  la,l)our.  forwarded  as  s(>ttlers  to  Kastern  Siberia. 

2)  Those  belonging  to  the  upper  class  sentemcd  tn  loss  of  all  pi'ivileges 
and  civil  rights,  and  to  exile  foi'  life. 


Types  of  Ostiiks  (phot,  by  Poliakdv). 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  PLAIN. 


139 


;!)  Thiiso  of  the  lower  class  banisheii  to  Siberia  iiy  older  of  the  commune 
!■  by  court,  after  havinir  lieen  in  prison  or  in  correctional  penal  servitude. 

The  last  cates;ory  comprisinf;  all  those  designated  by  the  collective  name 
of  administrative  exiles  or  those  banished  without  trial,  is  predominant  in  the 
Tobolsk  irovernment:  all  the  exiles  belonging  to  this  class  are  sent  to  the 
Tobolsk  and  Tomsk  .<>;overnnients  and  settled  in  towns  and  chielly  near 
villages  on  free  lands  allotted  for  their  use  b.\  the  liepartment  of  State 
Domains. 

The  i)opulation  of  the  Ishiin  steppe  contains  the  larirest  percent  of  exiles 
in  the  Tiukalin  and  Ishim  districts. 

It  must  be  mentioned  in  regard  to  land  ownership  in  the  Tobolsk  go- 
vernment, that  the  greater  portion  of  this  terriioiv,  is  the  rest  of  all  Sibe- 
ria, belongs  to  the  State.  The  vast  Asiatic 
dominions  upon  their  annexation  to  Rus- 
sia, became  the  property  of  the  State,  and 
were  included  in  the  number  of  its  real 
estates.  Safeguarding  its  own  interest,  the 
(jovernment  made  liberal  grants  of  free 
lands  for  temporary  use,  retaining  the 
right  of  property  over  them.  According  to 
this  arrangement  all  the  lands  comiirised 
in  the  vast  Siberian  territory  lying  free 
or  occupied  by  Russian  settlers,  aborige- 
nes,  and  native  nomad  tribes,  are  the  pro- 
perty of  the  State,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  estates  which  the  Government  bes- 
towed or  sold  to  some  private  individuals, 
to  monasteries  or  town  communities. 
Such  lands  form  but  a  very  small  percent- 
age in  comparison  with  the  total  area  of 
the  government.  The  greater  portion  of 
private  lands  which  now  belong  mostly  to 
merchants,   lie  in    the  Kuriran  and  in  the 


Ostiak  woman  (phot,  by  Poliak6v). 


southern  part  of  the  Tiukalinsk  district  bordered  by  the  Omsk  district  be- 
longing to  the  Akinolinsk  region. 

By  the  existing  order  of  land  tenure  in  Siberia,  the  ma.jority  of  the 
peasants  in  the  Tobolsk  government  received  a  grant  of  18  desiatins  to 
every  man.  with  an  addition  of  three  desiatins  for  the  settlement  of  exiles, 
as  shewn  by  the  revision  of  lS.')'.i.  The  extent  of  the  grant  is  such  as  to  form 
a  whole  volost  or  village.  In  the  south  of  the  Ishim  steppe  it  comprises  whole 
groups  of  villages. 

According  to  the  land  law  regarding  the  peasants,  introduced  into  the 
Tobolsk,  Tomsk.  Yeniseisk  and  Irkutsk  governments  in  IsOb,  the  extent  of 
the  grant  is  15  desiatins  to  every  man.  The  subsoil  of  the  Ishim  steppe  con- 
sists mainly  of  yellow  and  red  clay,  and  of  heavy  brownish  clay,  whereas 
its  soil  is  brown  sand  or  black  earth  mixed  with  sand  at  some  elevated 
points  or  ridges,  and  brown-grey  clay  at  others.  Pine  mould,  with  a  subsoil 
of  saline  clay  occurs  in  level  places  in  the  south  of  the  steppe.  Patches  of 
land  covered  with  dwarf  cherry  bushes  (^Prunus  chamaecerasus)  and  havinir 
a  most  fertile  soil,  occur  throughout  the  south  western  part  of  the  Ishim 
steppe  and  in  the  Kurgan  district. This  kind  of  cherry  disappears  entirely  in 


4(1 


GI'IDK  TO  THK  GRICAT   SIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


thr  south  cast  (if  the  Ishini  ami  in  thr  TiiiUaliiisk  ilistricts.  Tin'  iiihaliiiaiils 
of  the  Tiil)i')lsk  iiovcfniiiiMit  have  ditTcrcnt  modes  of  livplihood:  huntiui;-  and 
lisliinu'  ai-e  pfactised  in  the  north,  \vh(>r(>aH  airriciiltiiro  and  catth^-raisinii- pi-e- 
doniinato  in  the  south. 

Agriculture  is  the  principal  resource:  it  is  carried  on  as  far  as  57''i'  X. 
lat.  and  after  feeding  thr  population  yields  a  surplus  of  grain  for  sale.  Fur- 
ther north  agriculture  is  jiractised  on  a  much  smaller  scale,  and  onl\-  at 
certain  points.  The  characteristic  and  custoniar.v  method  of  husbandry  is  the 
fallow  land  system,  which  consists  in  sowing  the  fields  not  every  year.  Imt 
at  intervals,  during  which  they  lie  waste;  after  a  certain  i)eriod  the  land  is 
cultivated  a.gain  in  the  same  order.  The  fields  which  are  ploughed  foi'  lin' 
first  time,  or  had  been  lying  fallow,  are  sown  with  the  best  kind  id'  corn: 
wheat,  rye  and  spring  corn:  when  the  soil  is  somewhat  exhausted,  sowing- 
is  interruiited  more  fre(|uently,  and  before  being  entirely  abandoned,  the  fields 
are  left  waste  after  every  harvest.  The  alternation  of  crops  varies  according 
to  the  conditions  of  soil  and  climate. 

In  more  populous  centres,  where  the  (|uantity  of  fallow  land  is  neces- 
sarily reduced,  this  system  of  husliandry  will  soon  give  place  to  a  more  ra- 
tional ime.  In  some  localities  this  is  an 
accomplished  fact  and  the  manuring  of 
the  fields  has  been  already  introduced. 
The  foUowin.g  systems  of  husbandry  are 
practised  in  the  districts  lying  within 
the  range  of  the  Great  Siberian  Hail- 
way:  sowing  without  manure  in  the 
Kurgiin,  in  the  south  of  the  Ishini  and 
in  part  of  the  Ishim  district  the  fallow- 
land  system  is  replaced  by  the  manu- 
ring id'  fields,  whereas  in  the  Tiiika- 
linsk  district  fields  are  sown  according 
to  the  former  system.  In  the  north  the 
predominating  grain  is  rye:  in  the  south 
it  is  si)ring  wheat. 

Seed  of  a  better  quality  is  now- 
sown  in  the  southern  region  of  the  To- 
l)(jlsk  government,  where  a  kind  of  oats 
yielding  good  seed  and  growing  ver.\ 
thii'k.  imported  from  the  Tomsk  go- 
vernment, is  spreading  fast.  A  spring;- 
wheat  called  ..kubanka'"  and  „beloturka" 
is  cultivated  in  this  region,  while  the 
kind  of  wheat  predominating  in  the 
Tiukalinsk  district  is  known  under 
the  name  of  „ledianka".  Various  kinds  of  grain  are  cultivated  in  the  K'in-ir;in 
district.  As  may  be  seen  from  the  statistics  of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture 
and  State  Domains  presented  after  the  inspection  of  Siberia  in  189.5,  a.gri- 
culture  has  made  considerable  pro.gress  aud  assumed  numerous  and  varied 
forms.  The  Siberian  peasant  easily  conforms  himself  to  local  conditions,  and 
if  necessary  willingly  reforms  his  system  of  husbandry,  f'epots  of  agricul- 
tural ma(diinery  supply  iron  ploughs,  whiidi  are  now  replacing  the  wooden 
plough,  drawn  liy  three  horses.  Threshing  and  winnowing  machines  are  fre- 


The  Resurrection  Cathedral  in  the  town  of  Beridzov 
with  the  grave  of  Prince  Alexander  Danilovich 
]\fl6nshikov  who  died  in  1729    (phot,  by  Gblubev). 


TlIK  WKST  SIRKRIAN   I'l.  \IN'.  141 

.|iii'nil\  i'iii|ilnycil  ilirouiihiiui  ihr  Icrtilc  Ishiiii  sli'iipc  A  irrtMl  iiuinliiT  of 
ll\i\se  iiiachini's  nrc  inailc  li.\    iln'  IhcmI  inlinliitiints. 

Kliix  and  h('iii|)  are  alsn  I'Xlcnsivol.v  ciiltivatt'd  iii  llio  Ivurgaii.  ^',■llulll- 
rovsk  anil  Ishim  districts.  Tiio  Yalutorovsk  and  Kurgiin  districts  ('onlaiii  po- 
tato  fields  wliiidi  besides  sii]i|il.\inii-  the  inhaliitants  are  used  in  the  nianii- 
faeliire  of  nielasses. 

The  tollowinir  fi,i!;ures  drawn  fi'oni  tlie  (lovernnient  statistics  for  1S!»4 — 
IsvU)  siu'w  the  extent  of  the  area  sown  witli  iirain  and  the  quantity  of  crops 
raised  in  ilic  respective  districts: 

Number  of  Chitverts  sown.  Number  of  Chitverts  raised. 

DISTRICTS.  jgg^  jg55  jg^^  18,4  jggj  ^g^ 

Kur.iran 244,72:i  2<Sl,4i)2  :U'\Mn  l,s;{H,HSt)  (551,814  2,15<».4.')ti 

Yalutorovsk....  2(iti.()'.lo  234,172  214,692  SUT.Htil  (598,251  533,(5SS 

Ishim ■ 223.87(1  234,978  2(54,4(57  2,(591,891  3,0(53,741  2,553,094 

Tiukalinsk 174,198  1.^.5,(544  2S3,7o<)  1,4(15,9.^2  1,076,.397  1,737,704 

Tarn 122.104  117,041  1(15,172  880.21s  (100,305  875,380 

•I'iunii'^n 88,133  90,898  97,008  0.30,891  753.804  451,314 

Turin 01,94(1  07,534  71,107  300,078  305,031  300,081 

Tohidsk 50,600  49,741  69,978  302,928  274,489  400,028 

Total....   1.238,320     1,231,500      1.511.(151     8,924,735     7,430,4.32     9.n7(i.M  1 

The  total  aiuount  of  irrain  raised  in  1894  shewed  a  seven-fold  crop,  in 
1895  and  1890  sixfold.  The  richest  crop  namely  thirteen-fold  was  obtained  in 
the  Ishim  district  in  1895,  while  that  in  the  Kur.aan  district  was  only  2,3 
fold  in  the  same  year.  The  extent  of  the  land  under  cultivation  and  the 
crops  were  the  same  in  the  following  years  1897  and  1899. 

The  quantity  of  grain  obtained  in  the  government,  principally  in  the 
districts  of  Kurgan,  Yalutorovsk,  Ishim,  Tiukalinsk,  comprised  within  the 
range  of  the  Great  Siberian  line,  clearly  testifies  to  the  welfare  oi  the  i)0|tu- 
lation  of  this  fertile  region  able  to  export  annually  about  a  million  ]iuds  of 
grain  to  the  interior  markets  of  the  Kmpire  and  abroad. 

Cattle  breeding  is  also  an  important  feature  in  the  southern  steppe  dis- 
'tricts,  but  is  inferior  to  a.gricnlture  which  holds  the  first  pla(H>  throughout 
the  Ishim  steppes,  whore  cattlebreeding  is  only  considered  as  an  auxiliary 
resource.  Farm  stock  is  raised  for  sale  only  in  the  south  of  the  Tiukalinsk 
district,  the  number  of  cattle  varies  greatly  in  the  respective  localities  and 
in  every  homestead.  The  peasants  of  the  Tiukalinsk  districts  own  the  greatest 
number  of  cattle,  namely  an  average  of  5  horses,  3  cows  and  about  12  sheep 
to  every  household.  .Vccording  to  these  data.  2—3  horses,  2-3  cows  and  5—0 
sheep  may  be  taken  as  the  average  for  every  household  throughout  the  more 
fertile  region  of  the  government.  The  Siberian  .horse  is  small,  not  particular 
about  food,  and  capable  of  enduring  both  heat  and  cold;  he  goes  well,  but  is  no- 
slrong  and  can  draw  a  load  of  only  25  puds  on  a  level  road. 

Within  the  last  ten  years,  with  the  How  of  emigrants  from  the  interior 
governments  of  Russia,  bringing  their  own  horses,  the  slock  of  the  Ishim 
steppe  has  much  improved.  The  cattle  comes  from  the  common  Russian 
breed,  which  with  good  care  and  fodder  yields  a  fair  nuanlity  of  milk.  I  i)on 
the  whole,  the  home  bred  cattle  under  proper  selection  produces  now  better 
specimens,  as  may  be  noticed  in  the  new  .settlenu'Uts.  where  the  emigrants 
have  introduced  more  rational  methods  of  husbandry  and  stockraising.  The 
local    Siberian    sheep,  which    are   kept    by  the  peasants  s(dely  for  their  own 


142  GUIDK  TO  THE  (iKEAT  SIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 

use,  I'oiiie  I'niin  a  li.id  ami  [Miiir  slcick  witli  iiilVrioi-  wnnl.  The  lal-lailcii  sli('c|i 
predominate  in  Mie  soutli  of  Mie  Isiiini  stepii'';  tlu'  sale  of  tlieir  fat  yields  a 
consideraiile  profit.  Sheep  with  loiiii,-  tails  and  thick  wool  of  the  N'oroiiezh 
hreed  ai'o  raised  in  the  eolonists'  settlements. 

The  gi-eat  quantity  of  cattle  in  the  Ishim  steppe  region,  now  Ii'aversed 
by  the  Great  Siberian  main  line,  has  led  to  the  or.gani.satioii  of  shambles  in 
both  town  and  villages,  l^'rom  l()t),0(K)  to  12.'),oi)i)  head  of  horned  and  i.'in,!!!}!! 
of  shee]i  etc.  are  killed  annually  in  th(>  Knrgiin.  Yaliitorovsk,  Ishini  and  'I'iu- 
kalinsk  districts.  The  greater  part  of  the  meat  i.s  .sent  to  the  works  in  the 
Perm  government,  or  exported  to  the  central  markets  of  European  i-Jnssia 
since  the  opening  of  traffic  on  the  Siberian  Railway. 

Battel-  is  the  principal  food  product  representing  the  chief  resmn-ce  of 
tlu'  sduthei'n  stt>i)pes  of  the  Tobolsk  government. 

Previous  to  the  construction  of  the  railway,  about  ■500,000  to  3.50,()1X)  puds 
of  melted  butter,  of  the  value  ofR.  2.(X)0,0i)()  were  forwarded  from  the  Ishim 
steppe  to  Tiumen  and  Kurgan,  aiul  sold  by  the  peasants  at  local  fairs  to 
small  purchasei-s  and  to  the  agents  of  large  firms.  It  was  also  sold  in  lui- 
ropean  Russia  at  the  fair  of  Xizhni  Novgorod,  at  Moscow  and  in  the  south 
of  Russia,  at  Rostov  on  the  Don,  wlience  it  was  forwarded  partly  to  Germany 
and  partly  to  Turkey.  The  larger  firms  purchased  the  butter  and  melted  it 
themselves.  A  model  butter-boilery  exists  in  KurgAn  belonging  to  the  mer- 
chant Smolin,  where  aiiout  50,000  puds  of  butter  are  melted  annually.  The 
•  Kslnirkovs  and  Krestovnikovs  of  Ekaterinburg  are  also  important  firms,  who 
annually  buy  alxuit  150,(K)0  puds  of  butter.  In  the  Yalut(a-6vsk  district  the  butter- 
boileries  belong  to  the  Botovs,  Kalmykovs  and,  in  the  Tara  district,  to  Piatkov. 

The  Siberian  Railway  greatly  promoted  the  development  of  this  lucra- 
tive branch  of  industry  and  also  improved  the  ju'ocesses  employed.  At  the 
present  time  the  inhabitants  living  within  the  range  of  the  railway  have 
aliandoned  the  fornu'r  pi-imitive  systems,  and  numufacture  cream  butter  with 
tlu'  hell)  of  separators  and  churners,  which  is  exported  to  the  European  nuu- 
kets  in  specially  fitted  refrigerators.  Besides  private  firms,  butter  manufacto- 
ries now  exist  in  many  villages  in  the  south  of  the  Tobolsk  government, 
organised  for  the  benefit  of  the  peasants  by  tlie  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and 
State  Domains  and  by  the  local  adiuinisti'ation,  and  provided  with  the  neces- 
sary apparatus  according  to  Mr.  Vereshcbiigin's  system.  Xl  i»resent  there  is 
scarcely  a,  village  in  the  Ishi'm  steppe  in  proximity  to  the  railway  wliich  is 
without  a  cream-butter  manufactory  with  a  separator  of  the  newest  system. 

Manufactures  and  industry  ai-e  \ei-y  limited  in  the  Tobolsk  governnu'nt, 
which  is  but  poorly  provided  with  minerals,  and  chiefly  suiisists  by  the  pro- 
duction of  raw  UKiterials.  Fhun'-milling  is  the  principal  industry  in  the  sout- 
hern steppe  region,  follow  ed  by  ihe  animal  produce  industries:  butter,  leather- 
tanning,  preparation  of  sheep-skins,  tallow-boiling  and  felt-boot  numufacture. 
The  total  value  of  the  produce  is  known  only  approxinuitely.  A(^c(n'ding  to 
certain  data  it  anu)unts  to  R.  4,000,0i«)  or  R.  .5,0(t<).0iio  in  the  soutliei'u  part  of 
the  government. 

Milage  industries  have  received  a  wider  developnu^nt  in  the  'fobiilsk 
government  which,  of  all  the  u-overnmeiiis  of  .'-Liberia,  offers  tin-  greatest 
number  and  \arii'ty  of  .iinods  manufaclurecl  in  ibis  \\a\.  The  articles  ho- 
wever, for  want  ol  technical  knowle(lge,  are  still  of  a  very  primitive  (diaracter. 

The  following  industries  are  practised  in  tl>e  l\urg;in  district:  ]iottery, 
uianula'-ture  of  aiiricultiiral  tools,  coopery  ispeciallv    barri-ls    for    tallow    aiul 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  PLAIN. 


143 


butter),  turner) .  painted  wmnlen  luiis.  lUales.  s|i(iciiis  ami  c  it  lier  articles,  ininiis 
and  saddles,  lanuery,  sheepskins,  slmoniakin.ir,  felt-bmUs,  iringer-liread.  tailnw- 
boilinjr  and  initter. 

The  Yalutorovsk  district  contains  the  greatest  number  of  persons  enga- 
ged in  village  industries,  such  as:  potters,  iilacksmiths  coopers,  weavers, 
tanners,  shoemakers,  saddlers.  Many  occui)y  themselves  with  preparing  sheep- 
skins and  pelisses,  which  in  the  Shatrov  volost  repi'esent  every  year  a  cai)i- 
tal  id  K.  l.rmi.iHK):  others  make  lelt-i)oots.  are  employed  in  fulling  cloth,  bea- 
ting wool,  boiling  tallow,  making  butter  and  ginger-bread. 

The  following  industries  are  pursued  in  the  Ishim  district:  digging  lime 
and  grey  clay,  manufacture  of  agricultural  machinery,  mainly  threshers, 
spinnin^r  and  weaviny:.  mpe-making.  tanning,  tallow-bniling.  and  butter  ma- 
nufacture. 

The  blacksmith's  trade,  tanning,  shoemaking.  fur-dressing,  tallow-boiling, 
and  butter  manufacture  are  chiefly  practised  in  the  Tiukalinsk  district. 

Since  the  Great  Sii)erian  Railway  has  united  Siberia  with  .\siatie  markets, 
the  Government  would  do  well  to  encourage  and  develop  these  kinds  of  in- 
dustry with  a  view  to  both  the  imblic 
interest  and  to  iiolitical  cimsiderations. 
and  thus  to  compete  with  foreign  ma- 
nufactures in  the  Far  East  and  in  tlie 
markets  of  Central  .\sia. 

For  the  development  of  village  in- 
dustries in  the  Tobolsk  government,  it 
would  be  necessary  to  attach  trade  cla.s- 
ses  to  the  village  schools,  to  settle  Ru.s- 
sian  workmen  in  the  government,  and 
to  organise  an  association  supimrted  by 
State  credit. 

The  unsufticient  development  of  local 
manufactures  and  industrj'  has  caused 
Siberia  to  depend  on  other  countries, 
and  so  far  influenced  its  economic  lite 
as  to  condemn  its  po|>ulation  to  tlir 
exclusive  use  of  imported  goods.  Trade 
in  Siberia  has  consisted  strictly  in  the 
exchange  of  raw  materials  foi-  all  sorts 
of  necessary  articles  manufactured  in 
European  Russia.  Till  of  late  ."Liberia  had 
no  local  manufactures;  iron  was  impor- 
ted from  the  Ural,  cloth  from  Moscow  and  Lodz,  printed  calico  from  Ivanov 
Voznesensk.  crockery  wares  were  i)urchased  at  the  fairs  of  Xizhni  Novgorod 
and  Irbit.  but  as  the  Siberian  merchants  did  not  |)ay  ready  money,  they  re- 
ceived old  goods.  The  bad  ipiality  of  the  Irbit  goods  became  iiroverliial;  ar- 
ticles regarded  as  good  for  nothing  in  other  countries  were  considered  good 
enough  for  Siberia. 

The  local  trade  of  the  Tobolsk  government  is  chiefly  concentrated  in  the 
towns  of  Tinmen.  Kurgan.  Tobolsk  and  Ishim.  and  is  in  the  hands  of  but  a 
few  merchants:  the  absence  of  competition  caused  liy  the  difficulties  of  tran.s- 
port.  permit  tliein  to  sell  their  goods  at  very  hi.irh  prices.  Tlie  Siberian  pea- 
sant   is    verv  fond  of  cotton  and  cloth  iroods.  and  the  merchants  well    know 


Grave  of  Count    Andrew  Ivan^vich    Osterman  in 

the  town  of  Beridzov  (died  in  1747)  (phot,  by  Gd- 

lubev). 


144  filllDE  TO  TlIK  fiREAT  SIUKRIAN  UMI.WAY. 

hnw  til  pi'nlii  li\  ihis  lasio.  I'l-inii'il  cilii-n,  Imois.  (4nth.  colinn  ami  wnollm 
dril.u'ii'ct  I't.c.  arc  in  s|ii'cial  liivoiir  with  lliciii.  'I'licfr  is  no  slcaily  trade:  it 
,^'i'('atl.\'  ilopi'iids  ii|iMn  ilir  ln|i(mra|diral  ciinditinii  nf  the  ('(iimtry.  wliiidi  at  cer- 
tain pcridds  is  aiiiinaird  hv  fairs  and  ii\ai'l<i'ls.  Tliis  occurs  pi'iiicipail.N  in  the 
aiitiiinn  when  tlii'  peasants  liave  fiiiisheil  work  in  the  liidds,  and  lirinii'  Inr 
sail-  I'aw  materials,  which  are  Ixmiihl  np  li\  hii'ire  and  small  niei'idiants,  wlie 
in  return  supply  the  i)easant.s  with  had  niamil'actured  ii'oods  and  ji'rocery. 

Ahoiit  409  fairs  and  mafkets  take  place  in  the  soiitheiMi  steppe  reijion  id' 
the  Toh61.sk  government  dnrini;  tiie  .\eai-:  121  in  the  Kiira-an  district,  122  in 
the  I.shi'm,  1)9  in  the  Yalntorovsk.  liT  in  the  Tiukalinsk  district.  The  most  im- 
piirtant  is  t!ie  Xikolskaya  fair,  held  in  Islnni  IVmn  the  1  to  the  2.')  hecemher 
with  a  tnrtinver  of  R.  5,n()0,0(K).  where  the  iirices  t'ur  tallow  and  hntier  ai'e 
established.  The  financial  operatinns  nf  the  fairs  lield  within  tlie  ran.ii'e  of  the 
Siherian  Railway  amount  tn  R.  4,.')00,(KX).  While  liringin.a;  a  new  life  into  lliis 
distant  ciiuntfy,  the  (h'eat  Siherian  line  has  not  as  yet  hnmiclit  an.\-  ehan.ue 
iiitii  the  ancient  ninde  nf  sale  and  purchase,  hut  h,\  npeninu'  the  wa,\  to  larjio 
Russian  and  foreii:n  traders,  will  cause  the  ileca>  nf  the  Siherian  fairs,  and 
introduce  r(>.ii'nlar  comniei'cial  institutinns. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY: 

ll  ('(.'iitro.s  iif  iiii|iiiliitiiin  (,V)  Tobulsk  goviTnineiit.  Piilili.shi'il  liv  tlip  l.'ontr.  Statist.  Ciiiiiiiiit. 
of  flic  Ministr.  of  the  Inter.  St.-Petersb.   1871. 

21  Sfatisfios  of  the  Kiissiaii  Empire  XXIX  volo.sts  and  eeiitres  nf  |iii|iiiliitiiiii.  18;):!.  Tiilmlsk 
g-iivern.  Piilil.  by  the  Ceiitr.  Statist.  Conunit.  M.  of  the  Inter.  lMi)4. 

3)  .Materials  for  the  study  of  the  eeononiie,  life  of  the  State  [le.isants  and  natives  of  Wes- 
tern Siberia.  Pnlii.  by  the  Minist.  of  State  Doni.  St.-Petersb.  89—98. 

4)  .Meniorandnm  for  the  Tol)olsk  g-overn.  1881  reeomnn'nded  by  the  scientific  Ooniiiiit,  of 
the  Minist.  of  Pnbl.  Instr.  for  schools  and  jjublii-  libraries  of  tlie  F.inpire  by  Dnii'iriev-.Manionov 
and  Golodnikov.  Tobolsk.   1!SS4. 

n)  Pieetnresi|ne  spots  in  Rn.ssia,  edited  by  P.  P.  Seniiouov.  Western  Siberia.  St.-Petersb.  1884. 
I))  The  land  tenure  and  husbandry  of  the  |ieasaiits  in  the  Tomsk  govern.  Pnbl.  by  the  De- 
part, of  (inr.  All.  M.  of  State  Doni.  St."-Pelersb.  1894. 

7)  Supplement  to  the  report  of  tlie  Minister  of  Agrienlture  and  State  Koniains  ]iresenti>d 
to  the  Emperor  after  his  visit  to  Siberia  in   189.^  and  1898  St.-Petersb.   189:>. 

8)  Report  by  State  Secretary  Kulonizin  on  his  visit    to  Siberia   to*  investigate    tli liirra- 

tion   i|uestioii.  St'-Peterb.    189li.  ' 

!))  Siberian  calendar  for  trade  and  iiidiistr\  1897 — 1S9.S.  I'libl.  bv  the  M.  of  finance. 
St.-Petersb.   1896. 


The  Kirg'iz  Steppe  borderland. 

The    Kir^'iZ   Steppe    linrdel-laild      is    .•idllli  nistel'ed    hy     the    ( iiivernnl'-tieneral 

of  the  St(^ipe  tei-ritories  and  comprises  the  .Xkmolinsk  and  Semipaliitinsk  ter- 
ritories occupying  the  southern  portions  of  the  Irtysli  and  Isliim  hasins.  The 
commercial  interests  of  this  hordei-laml  were  always  attfacted  towards  the. 
north,  to  tlie  localities  hounded  li,\  the  West  Siberian  govei-nment  of  Tomsk 
and  Tobolsk,  mi  the  borders  of  which  the  Central-Asiatic  ii.mi.-ids  1  i/.hangurs, 
Kalmyks  and  Kir.iiiz-Kaisaks,  since  the  beginnin.ii'  of  the  Will  centui'y.  car- 
ried on  barter  with  Russian  merchants.  Barter  courts  and  customs  harriers 
were  established  with  this  objecl.  The  (Ireat   Siberian   K'ailwa.\     in    its  cmu'se 


THE  KIRUIZ  STEPPE  BORDERLANn. 


u: 


from  fVtropuvlovsk  tn  Omsk  (280  versts)  runs  alons;  the  ancient  frontier, 
which  is  connected  by  the  stepiie  hiirhways  and  caravan  routes  with  the  cen- 
tres of  the  stei)i>e  rciiion  and  comprises  the  whole  area  of  the  vast  steppe 
borderland,  lying  within  the  sphere  of  its  mighty  influence.  The  Akmolinsk 
territory  occupying  the  northern  part  of  the  steppe  region,  between  44''  and 
.05"  X.  iat.  and  ."U"  and  4,5°  E.  long,,  for  jiurposes  of  internal  administration, 
is  divided  into  five  districts-Petropavlovsk.  (Imsk.  Kokchetiivsk,  Atbasar.  and 
Akmolinsk.  and  covers  a  superficial  area  ofiMioi  sipiare  geographical  miles. 
It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Tobolsk  government,  and  the  east  by  the 
Semipalatin.sk  territory,  on  the  south  by  that  of  Syr-lJaria.  and  on  the  west 
by  the  Turgai  territory  and  the  Orenburg  government. 

The  Semipalatinsk  territory  lies  between  44"=  and  .54°  X.  Iat.  and.  40"*  and 
58°  K.  long,  and  is  divided  into  five  districts:  Semiiiabitinsk,  Pavlodar.  Kar- 
kalinsk.  I'st-Kamenogorsk.  Zaisan.  with  a  superficial  area  of 'j.ias  square  geo- 
graphical miles,  bounded  on  the  north-east  by  the  Tomsk  government,  on 
the  west  by  the  Akmolin.sk  territory,  on  the  south  by  the  Semirechensk  ter- 
ritory, while  the  eastern  and  part  of  its  southern  border  are  bounded  by  thf 
Chinese  Empire. 

The  .\kmolinsk  territory  is  chiefly  level,  and  orographically  divided  into 
two  sections:  one  lying  north-west  belonging  to  the  Ishim  river  system,  the 
other  south  east  to  the  Aralo-Caspian  basin  with  a  higher  surface.  The  cen- 
tral steppes  are  traversed  liy  a  watershed  represented  by  detached  mountain 
groups  or  elevations,  running  from  east  to  west,  and  terminating  in  the 
Kokchetavsk.  Imantav.  Airtav  mountains  and  the  I'lu-Tan  or  Western  group 
culminating  in  the  llieak-Mechet  ■i.lM  feet  in  height.  The  southern  portion 
bounded  by  the  Tobolsk  government  and  that  lying  east  and  west  of  the 
Kokchetavsk  mountains  represent  a  uniform  plain  broken  by  hillocks.  The 
eastern  side  of  this  i)lain. 

extending  towards  the  Ir-  ^ 

tysh.  has  a  clayey  and  sa- 
line soil,  is  treeless  and 
contains  a  great  number 
of  brackish  lakes.  Its  wes- 
tern part  is  the  continua- 
tion of  the  fertile  ToIhiIo- 
Ishim  plain  which,  being 
scattered  with  birch  gro- 
ves and  clumps,  abounds 
in  fine  pastures  extending 
chietly  along  the  Ishim. 
The  south  of  the  territor.v 
comprises  the  desert  called 
the  Hunger  Steppe  lying 
within  4.5°  and  4S°  of  X.  Iat.  consisting  of  shifting  sands.  This  steppe  pre- 
sents an  elevated  plateau  with  a  clayey  and  limy  soil,  and  thanks  to  the  ab- 
sence of  water,  is  utterly  uninhal>ital>le.  The  investigations  of  1.  A.  Schmidt 
proved  that  the  area  stretching  soutli  of  the  central  watershed  towards  the 
river  Chu  and  comprising  about  170.(XK)  sipiare  versts  is  totally  unfit  for 
permanent  settletiient.  The  surface  of  the  Semipalatinsk  district  is  much  more 
varied,  mountains  and  steppe  occurring  alternately.  Its  eastern  portion,  broken 
by   ridges   of  the   .\lt;ii    mountains    with    an  altitude  of  7,000   to   s.OOO   feet. 

10.V 


i»;e   L.ner3:."..e, 


:r;chetavsk  district,  Akmolinsk  territory. 


146 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GKICAT  .SLBKKIAX   liAILWAY. 


and  its  southern  part,  separated  from  China  by  the  Tarbagatai  chain,  bear  an 
essentially  alpine  character.  These  mountains  run  along  the  frontier  of  China 
having  summits  of  9.100  feet,  and  send  out  the  ridge  of  Chingiz-Tan. 

The    central    area   of   the   territory   is   also  mountainous,  containing  the 
Kizyl-Tash  mountain  group,  separatinir  into  numerous   ridges— Karkalin,  Ku. 

Edrei.  Dzhigelik  and  oth- 
ers. Its  western  side 
falls  gradually  towards 
lake  Balkiish  and  juisses 
into  a  vast  steppe.  The 
Irtysh  region  and  the 
north  of  the  territory  pre- 
sent also  a  level  plain. 
The  snil  of  the  stei)pes 
varies  greatly  and  con- 
sists either  of  a  fertile 
l)lackearth  of  unequal 
thickness,  or  of  sands, 
i-lay,  gypsum,  marl  and 
sterile  saltmarshes.  The 
level  surface  of  the 
steppe  is  utterly  unprot 
ected  from  the  winds,  which  sometimes  raise  immense  columns  of  sand 
The  Semipalatinsk  mountains,  consisting  of  rocks  denuded  by  atmospheric 
influence,  are  on  the  contrary  very  well  suited  for  agriculture  and  settlement 
on  account  of  their  soil,  climate  and  vegetation. 

The   mountain   groups   of   the   Akmolinsk,   and   the  alpine  ridges  of  the 
Semipalatinsk   territory  are  mainly  formed  of  crystalline  rocks;  the  first  con- 


The  Cossack  village  of  Bay^n-aul.  Semipalatinsk  territory. 


G:ildA'ashing  machine. 


THK  KIRGIZ  STEPPE  BORDERLAND. 


147 


tains  granite,  ilir  (Ulier-s  .shew  a  predominancf  nf  linu'  and  talc  .slates,  lime- 
stone, '(uai'tz  and  .sandstone.  The  level  areas,  iiavinir  a  soil  and  subsoil  in- 
cluding rocks  of  recent  formation  and  forming  part  of  the  Anilo-Caspien  ba- 
sin, were  formerly  under  water,  as  evidenced  by  the  great  number  cif  shells 
found  among  the  pebbles. 

The  mountain  ridges  of  the  Kirgiz  border  include  an  untold  mineral 
wealth  which  is  as  yet  scarcely  at  all  exploited;  the  country  lying  at  their 
foot  is  provided  with  abundant  coal  deiiosils.  Auriferous  strata  occur  in  the 
Akniohnsk  territory  near  the  Kokchetavsk  mountains,  and  in  that  of  Semi- 
palatinsk.  in  the  I'st-Kanienogorsk  district,  on  the  Kolben  mountains,  and  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  Zaisiin  district.  There  are  about -KW  auriferous  areas, 
but  only  one-third  of  them  is  being  worked. 

Within  recent  years  the  gold-mining  industrx'  has  fallen  off  considerably 
in  the  .\kmolinsk  territory,  under  the  Influence  of  the  present  economic  con- 


Types  from  the  Steppe  borderland.  Kirgiz  deputation  from  the  Akmolinsk  territory 
(phot,  by  Kessler). 

ditions.  and  chiefly  on  account  of  the  rise  in  wages  produced  by  the  cim- 
strnetion  of  the  Siberian  railway  giving  employment  to  many  workmen.  The 
quantity  of  gold  obtained  in  the  Semipalatinsk  territory  is  constantly  increa- 
sing thus,  16  imds  M  jiounds  were  i-aised  in  1891.  whereas  in  1897  the  out- 
put amounted  to  .32  puds  12  pounds.  Silver — lead  mines  occur  frecpiently  in 
the  .\kniolinsk  and  the  Atbasar  districts  in  the  Akmolinsk  territory,  but  re- 
main entirely  unexjiloited.  Rich  deposits  of  these  ores  containing  much 
silver  are  to  be  found  in  the  Karkalinsk,  Pavlodar  and  Zaisan  districts.  Their 
exploitation  is  conducted  by  the  gold  miners  Popov  in  the  Karkalinsk  and 
Pavlodar  districts.  Copper  mines  are  to  be  found  in  the  Kokchetavsk  and  At- 
ba.siir  districts,  and  i>rincipally  in  that  of  Akmolinsk.  where  they  were  worked 
after  the  year  IStJO  at  the  Spas  cojiper  works  of  Messrs  Riazanov.  This 
copper  tested  in  the  I'ral  chemical  laboratory  proved  to  be  equal  to  the  best 


148  GVIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

(■()|i|)er  nl)t:iiii('il  ill  tlir  I'l'al  works.  In  tlu'  Scniiiiah'itinsk  liTi'itory  cnpiier 
mini's  occur  in  llic  Pavlodar,  ivarkalinsk  and  Zaisan  distriris.  l)iit  an'  very 
inadequately  ■worked  in  ijroportion  to  tiieir  wealth. 

The  Kirgiz  steppe  abounds  in  iron  deposits  which  are  especially  rich 
near  the  town  of  KarkarAlov;  the  different  kinds  of  iron  contain  on  the  ave- 
rage 59.18  of  iron,  1.12  of  sulphur, 0.31  percent  of  lead.  There  is  no  local  iron 
industry  notwithstnndinii'  the  increasine;  demand  and  llie  high  price  of  th(^ 
Ural  iron.  Manganese  beds  were  iliscovered  in  1S9.')  near  the  town  of  Semi- 
palatinsk.  on  the  Arkalyk  mountains.  According  to  prospectings,  this  dejiosit 
covers  a  considerable  area  and  is  ver\-  rich.  When  explorations  were  made 
in  1896,  the  quantity  of  .o.OOO  puds  of  manganese  was  oldained  by 
1.')  workmen. 

iSeams  of  coal,  in  various  formations,  covered  iiy  an  alluvial  soil  of  clavey 
sand,  occur  freipiently  in  the  Kirgiz  Steppe.  In  the  Akmolinsk  territory  it  is 
found  in  the  Kokchetav  district  on  the  river  Burluk.  a  tributary  of  the  Ishim, 
and  in  the  districts  of  Atbasar  and  Akmolinsk.  Specially  noteworthy  is  the 
Karagandin  coal  pit.  situated  in  the  Akmolinsk  district,  within  .30  versts  of 
the  Spas  copiier  works  of  Messrs  Riazanov,  and  on  the  sections  called  Bo- 
s;ich  and  Ak-Tiube,  discovered  by  Mr.  Derov. 

In  the  Semipalatinsk  territory  the  jirincipal  coal  dejiosits  are  distributed 
throughout  the  Semipalatinsk.  Pavlodar.  Karkalinsk  and  Zaisan  districts.  The 
most  important  are: 

1)  Those  situated  in  the  Semipalatinsk  district  (in  tlip  left  f)ank  of  the 
Irtysh,  at  the  places  called:  Tyn-Kudiik.  Tagdy-Kuduk.  Kum-Kul  (Itelonging 
to  the  Irtysh  company),  Dzhungulrk-sor,  20  versts  from  the  station  Grachevka, 
Uziin-sor,  8  versts  from  the  latter.  The  coal  is  bright  and  comiiact,  yielding 
a  good  quality  of  coke. 

2)  Those  of  the  Pavlodar  district,  situated  on  the  left  liaiik  nf  the  Irtysh 
at  I'zhaman-Tuz  (belonging  to  the  goldminer  Popov).  1.50  versts  south  of 
Pavlodar.  The  deposits  contain  a  series  of  seams,  attaining  a  thickness  of 
about  5  sazhens.  The  coal  has  been  frequently  tested  and  contains  a  consi- 
derable percenting  of  ash,  although  compact  and  black.  The  deposits  of  Kun- 
Cheki'i  (belonging  to  the  Voskresensk  gold-mining  company)  300  versts  from 
the  Irtysh  and  480  versts  from  Tomsk,  must  be  mentioned  on  account  of  the 
((uality  of  the  coal,  its  abundance  and  the  thickness  of  the  seam,  attaining 
ti  sazhens. 

1  nrAi  TTv  Choniicnl  coinposition. 

i-uoALUi.  Water.     Volatile  malter.  Pure  Coke.  Ash. 

Dzhaman-Tuz I.'jI  G.61  6.020  .3.245 

Oinak-Sor l.o7  1.914  6.4.57  1.492 

Tyn-Kuduk 3.38  2.592  5.8.50  1.220 

Kum-Kul 2.6S  2.422  4.730  2..580 

Kun-Cheku 0.80  1.870  5.870  2.180 

The  Ekil»as-Tuz,  belonging  to  the  Voskresi^nsk  mining  company,  situated 
123  verst  from  Pavlodar,  was  carefully  investigated  in  1896  by  Engineer  Mei- 
ster.  It  contains  dry  and  fat  coal.  On  analysis  it  gave  the  following  results: 
the  coal  of  the  Artemy  bed— 3.22"  o  water,  .34.47"  o  volatile  matter,  65.53"  o  coko 
(58.90"o  pure  coke);  that  of  the  Vladimir  bed— 11..50Vo  water.  32.78"/o  volatile 
matter,  47.22"o  coke  i3s.44"o  juire  cokel  8.78"o  ash.  According  to  the  appro- 
ximative data  of  the  Engineer  Meister,  the  explored  strata  contain  6.44S.6S0.0lX( 
puds  of  coal. 


THE  KIRCIZ  STKI'PE  BORUKlil. AM). 


149 


■ii  111  the  Karkalinsk  distrit-t.  at  Ak-Chcki.  within  loo  versts  of  tho  town 
•f  Karkar.ilov.  a  coal  deposit  10  sazhons  deep,  is  imbedded  between  masses 
lit'  carbonic  slates.  Almost  all  the  coal  is  of  the  same  formation,  compact, 
bright  and  Imrninir  with  a  clear  tlanie.  The  beds  of  Ekibas-Tuz  are  provided 
with  tile  l)est  i|iia]ity  of  coal  thrmiirhoiit  tlie  Kirgiz  steppe.  They  belong  to 
the  ViiskrescMisk  irold-minini:  conipan),  and  are  connected  by  a  broad  .uauire 
branch  line  UKi  versts  lonir  with  the  water  system  of  the  Irtysh.  Coal  is  t« 
be  c'.niveyed  by  it  to  the  town  of  Omsk  to  supply  the  demand  of  the  Sibe- 
rian main  line.  .\  wider  exploitation  of  the  Kkibas-Tuz  coal-pits  must  con- 
tribute to  the  development  of  mininir  industry  in  the  Kiririz  Steppe,  richly 
pri>vided  with  minerals,  and  to  the  creation  of  new  manufactories  which  are 
in  need  of  cheap  mineral  fui'l. 

Precious  stones  occur  in  the  rocky  ridires  of  the  Kii-iriz  steppe  brcider 
land.  e.  g.  ashirite.  a  rare  kind  of  emerald:  it  is  found  in  the  locality  of  Al- 


Types  from  the  Steppe  borderland,  Kirgiz  deputation  from  the  SemipaUtinsk  territory 
(phot,  by  Kessler). 

i.\n-sii  within  2iW  versts  north-west  of  Karkalinsk.  The  locality  is  characte- 
rised by  considerable  outcmjjs  of  limestone,  in  which  are  found  fine  crystals 
of  this  mineral.  In  the  Semipalatinsk  district,  granite  is  obtained  at  many 
points  alons:  the  left  bank  of  the  Irtysh,  near  the  town  of  Semipalatinsk  and 
the  Cossack  villajres  of  Seniiar  and  Itoliin.  In  189.i,  granite  was  brought  f nun 
here  to  (inisk  for  the  construction  of  a  railway  bridge  over  the  Irtysh. 

Alabaster  is  obtained  in  the  Semipalatinsk  district,  near  the  settlements 
of  Podpu.sknoe  and  Lebiazhie,  Q  versts  from  Semipalatinsk,  and  also  at  the 
places  called  Krasny-Yar  and  Chistoe,  whence  it  is  forwarded  by  the  Irtysh. 
Mill-stones  are  found  in  the  Semipalatinsk  and  Pavlodiir  districts  along  the 
banks  of  the  Irtysh.  Fire-|ircn)f  clay  occurs  in  different  qualities  in  the  .Ste|»pe 
region,  hut  is  scarcely  worked. 

The  iVkmolinsk  territory  is  but  poorly  provided  with  running  water.  Its 
north-eastern   part  is  watered   by  the  Irtysh,  flowing  for  a  distance  of  200 


150 


OriDE  TO  THE  GREAT  rtlliERlAX    KAILNVAY. 


versts  iiloiiir  tin'  iKirticr  of  the  Omsk  distrjct:  tin:-  nortli-wesi  is  travi.Tsrd  by 
the  Ishiiii.  watcrini;'  the  most  fertile  area  of  the  territoi'y,  stretchiiii;  over 
jiarts  of  the  Akmolinsk  and  Atbasar  districts,  the  whcde  of  the  Ivnkehetav 
and  over  a  portion  of  the  Petropavlovsk  districts.  Three  rivers  helonu:ing  to 
the  basins  of  the  steppe  lakes  Sary-su  Niira  and  Chu,  flow  from  the  interioi' 
watershed,  in  the  south  of  the  territory.  They  have  a  great  importance  for 
the  regulation  of  the  nomad  life  of  the  Kirgiz.  This  territory  is  much  more 
abundantly  provided  with  lakes,  especially  in  its  northern  part. 

These  lakes,  above  500  in  number,  contain  different  kinds   of  water,  and 
being  scattered  all  over   the   steppe,    brackish,    freshwater   and    bitter   lakes 


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^■^ 

I 

!■ 

■ 

HH 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H  'I 

1^^ 

^ 

aj^^H 

^^^^^^^^H 

^^^^^^^HUT  ^^w  Uw  V 

B 

^M 

^^ 

■MH 

! 

mm 

,^j^H 

H 

Types  from  the  Steppe  region:  Dungan  deputation  (phot,  by  Kessler). 


occur  in  proximity  to  each  other.  All  the  lake  basins  bear  the  same  charac- 
ter, with  sloping  and  reed-covered  banks  and  a  muddy  and  slimy  bottom.  In 
many  of  these  lakes  the  water  level  is  inconstant;  the  same  is  noticed  in 
the  lakes  of  th(>  Ishim  stepjie  in  the  West-Siberian  plain,  where  they  some- 
times disappear  completely,  and  then  again  appear  al'ler  a  jieriod  of  several 
years. 

The  Semipalatinsk  t(MT'itory  is  better  prdvided  wiili  lakes  and  rivei's  than 
that  of  Akmolinsk.  The  Irtysh  takln.g  its  rise  in  the  Chinese  Empire,  (lows 
through  the  territory  for  a  distance  of  1.150  versts;  it  receives  several  tribu- 
taries and  is  navigable  throughout  its  entire  course.  Among  the  lakes,  the 
most  important  is  the  Balkhash,  the  southern  part  of  the  territory  is  bounded 
by  its  northern  shore.  It  lies  560  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea  and  covers 
an  area  of  16,196  sipiare  versts.  The  maximum  depth  is  ten  sazhens:thi>  wa- 
ter is  clear,  blackish,  unlit  for  drinking,  and  contains  only  small  fish. 

Lake  Marka-Kul,  in  the  Zaisan  district,  covers  a  superficial  area  of  .S02 
square  ver.sts,  and  lies  in  a  mountain  pass,  surrounded  by  high  ridges,  at  a 
height  of  5,700  feet. 


THE  KIRGIZ  STEPPE  BORDERLAND. 


151 


Lake  Zaisan-Xor  is  situated  in  an  oiien  and  elevated  plain,  between  the 
Altai  mountains  and  the  Tarbagatai  chain;  it  has  an  area  of  1.608  square 
versts  and  a  lieight  of  about  l.StK)  feet  above  sea  level,  with  a  maximum 
depth  of  5  sazhens;  this  lake  abounds  in  fish. 

The  Irtysh  plain  contains  the  greatest  number  of  lakes,  which  in  the 
steppe  region  give  a  wide  scope  to  the  development  of  the  salt-industry,  es- 
pecially in  the  Semipalatinsk  district.  .\11  these  lakes,  in  this  respect,  are 
divided  into  two  categories  comprising  those  which  are  exploited  by  the 
State,  and  those  which  are  worked  as  private  concerns  for  the  supply  of  the 
local  demand.  The  best  salt  is  obtained  in  the  Semipalatinsk  territory  from 
lake  Koriakov.  whose  annual  output  exceeds  700.(XX)  puds. 

The  climate  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe  bordiM",  although  more  continental,  is 
much  warmer  than  in  the  neiglibouring  cultivated  zone  of  \Vestern  Siberia. 
The  mean  annual  temperature  of  Akmolinsk  and  Semipalatinsk.  lying  in  51' 
and  .iO.5"  X.  lat..  is  from  -+-  2^  to  2.-5"'  C,  two  degrees  higher  than  in  Siberia 

Farther  south,  the  mean   annual  temperature  in  the  Steppe  regions   is 
-f  5'  and  6-.  The  winter  temperature  is— 16'^,  and— 18..i°  during   the    coldest 
month,  corresponding  to  that  of  the  agricultural    zone   in  West  Siberia:    tiie 
mean  temperature  in  summer  rises  to4-20' 
and  to  +  22'  in  the  wai-mest  month,  while 
in  West  Siberia  summer  is  not  so  warm. 
The  difference  between  the  winter  and  sum- 
mer teniperatiu-e  is  36',  and  the  difference 
between  the  coldest  and  warmest   month 
•K)'.  In  Akmolinsk  the  rainfall  amounts  to 
229  mm.,  and  in  Semipalatinsk  to  186  mm., 
whereas  in   the  Hunger  Steppe  (Bed-Fak- 
Dala)  on  the  south  of  the  Akmolinsk  terri- 
tory, there  is  no  rain  at  all  in  the  summer. 

These  climatic  conditions  together  with 
the  want  of  irrigation  sen'e  as  an  impe- 
diment to  the  development  of  agriculture: 
the  early  morning  frosts  have  especially 
a  very  bad  ettect  upon  the  fields.  I' nder  the 
influence  of  the  heat  prevailing  at  the  end 
of  May  and  thanks  to  the  absence  of  rain, 
the  grass  is  soon  withered  and  the  steppe  as- 
sumes a  desolate  greyish  hue.  In  summer. 
the  wind  often  blows  a  storm  driving  up 
masses  of  sand:  in  winter,  the  same  winils 
produce  blizzards. 

The  flora  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe  border,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  places 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  is  of  the  same  nature  as  that  of  the  Anilo- 
Caspian  lowland,  and  is  influenced  b.v  a  climate  characterised  by  hot  sum- 
mers, cold  winters  and  an  absence  of  moisture.  In  the  Akmolinsk  territor.v. 
fir  forests  occur  only  in  the  Kokchotiivsk  district,  where  the  mountain  cones, 
formed  of  granite  gradually  denuded  by  the  atmosphei'e,  are  thickly  clad 
with  a  verdant  vegetation  of  trees. 

The  Semipalatinsk  territory  is  more  hilly  and  contains  fir  forests;  the 
greater  portion  of  the  northern  slopes  of  the  Altai  are  covered  with  foliage 
trees,  whereas  forests  of  fir  stretch  on  the  right  of  the  Irtysh,  in   the  Pavlo- 


Kirgiz  type  from  the  Akmolinsk  territory. 
The  Sultan  ValikhSnov  (phot  by  Delazari). 


Vy2 


GUIDE  TO  THl:  GUEAT  SIISKRIAN    KAILW  AY. 


ilai'  and  Seniipaliitinsk  forest  s(H'tions.  A  ,i;roat  mmilirr  nl'  iiiniiiiiaiii  lirs  oc- 
cur also  in  the  Karkaliusk  district,  nn  tlic  slo|ics  dltlic  Karkaliiisk  and  Bayaii- 
Aul  mountains. 

liiirh,  asijcn  and  aldin-  are  tlie  predoniinatinu'  folia.iie  trees,  scattered  in  innii- 
nieralile  groves  all  over  the  northern  portion  of  the  Akmolinsk  and  Seniipala- 
tinsk  territories.  Black  poplar,  poplar  and  ash  occur  sometimes  in  the  plains, 
while  the  Halixylonanimondendron,  the  „dzhida"  and  ..tarana;''.  grow  in  the  south. 

The  stejipe  flora  is  especially  characterised  !)>■  dwarf  bushes,  wliich  are 
sometimes  thorny  and  covered  with  a  .^'I'l^y  nr  silvery  foliage  and  |iarticulai'l.\- 


"1 

^^^^^^?^^2ht^ij'                                             '^ 

mp:;^ 

Ml   ' 

Bh^ 1 

^ 

1^ 

mL 

A  Kirgiz  village  (phot,  by  Krekov). 

gnarled,  such  as  the  hard-hack,  cytisus.  dwarf-almond,  wild-cherry,  hawthorn 
and,  in  the  south,  by  „bayalyk".  ..kokpek".  ..teraskep"  and  others.  The  bush 
species  which  in  the  south  may  be  mentioned  among  the  herbaceous  vege- 
tation, are  very  important  in  distributing  the  rainfall,  retaining  the  snow,  and 
consolidating  the  sand,  which  contributes  to  the  formation  of  a  cultivable 
soil.  The  bayalyk  and  saksaul  answer  s|iecially  this  purpose,  and  at  the  same 
time  serve  as  fuel. 

The  herbaceous  vegetation  of  the  stciijie  is  al)undautly  provided  with 
characteristic  species.  Karelin,  Schrenk.  Semionov,  Severtsov.  l)aron  Osten- 
Saken,  Slovtsov,  Siazov,  who  all  explored  the  flora  of  the  Kirgiz  Steppe  bor- 
der-land, discovered  a  great  variety  of  typical  species.  The  soil  in  the  steppes 
is  particularly  favourable  to  the  growth  of  herbs,  such  as  wormwood, 
willow-herb,  feather-grass.  Sasiagrostis  splendens.  Ceratocarpus  si)lendens 
reeds,  which  can  be  employed  as  foddei'  for  the  cattle.  Fibre  idants  are  repre- 
sented by  flax  and  madder:  medicinal  plants,  by  i-hubarb  and   liquorice  root. 

The  fauna  of  the  invertebrate  animals  prevailing  over  the  southern  jiarts 
of  the  steppe  regions  is  of  the  same  type  as  that  found  in  the  deserts  and 
steppes  of  the  Aralo-Cas])ian  plain. 


THE  KIRGIZ  STEPPE  BORDEKLAMI. 


153 


The  ornitholosrioal  fauna  of  the  northern  Kirjriz  Steppes,  whiih  iloes  not 
difter  from  tliat  of  the  \Vest-Sil>erian  steppe  reirions  in  the  south  alone,  aloni: 
the  river  systems  and  in  warm  valleys,  receives  an  addition  of  varied  birds. 
some  of  which  come  for  the  winter  from  the  far  north,  while  the  others  are 
common  to  the  Central  Asiatic  uplands. 

The  mammals  are  more  alnindantly  and  variously  represented  than  in 
Western  Siberia.  The  tiger  (Felis  tigris)  .dzhulbars"  in  Kiririz.  and  the  Felis 
Irbis  or  .ilpis"  in  Kirgiz.  lurk  among  the  reeds  of  the  Lake  Balkhash;  the 
lynx  (Felis  lynx)  dwells  in  the  Aktiiv  and  Ortav  mountains:  wild  boar  are 
met  with  in  the  southern  steppes,  on  the  borders  of  rivers  Sary-Su,  Chu. 
and  near  large  lakes;  th-o  Ovis  Argali  (a  kind  of  wild  sheej))  is  to  be  found 
in  the  alpine  zone  of  the  Altai  ami  Tarlniiratai,  on  the  south  of  the  Semipa- 
latinsk.  and  also  in  the  Karkaralinsk  and  Akmolinsk  districts,  together  with 
the  two-humped  camel,  a  kind  of  deer,  the  .maral"  (Cervus  elaphus),  the  roe- 
buck (capreolus  \-ulgaris).  the  gazelle,  some  varieties  of  the  antilope  (antiloite 
suligmiorosa).  the  .kulon"  (Equus  hemionus").  the  wolf,  the  bear,  the  fox.  the 
marmot,  the  badirer.  the  jumping  hare,  the  ei-mine.  the  hare  and  others.  The 
sturgeon,  the  sterlet,  the  nelma.  the  salmo  thymallus.  the  roach,  the  lote.  the 
pike,  the  carii.  the  sudak  and  others  are  the  fishes  which  particularly  abound 
in  the  Irtysh  and  in  lake  Zaisan-Xor. 

The  population  of  the  steppe  border-land  is  given  as  1,364,154  by  the 
Census  of  isi»7  (71!i.2i«t  males.  644.045  females). 

The  Akmolinsk  territory  contains  078,957  inhabitants  (354,370  males. 
324.5S7  females  i:  in  that  of  Semipalatinsk  their  number  is  t)85. 197  (364,838  ma- 
les. .320.35S  females!.  In 
the  first  there  is  a  pro- 
jtortion  of  !>-2.4  women  to 
every  1(K)  men.  In  the 
.\kmolinsk  territory  the 
population  is  represented 
by  1.3  inhabitant  to  every 
sipiare  verst.  in  .Semipa- 
latinsk by  1.7.  The  popu- 
hition  consists  r)f  Kirgiz 
natives.  Cossacks  of  the 
Siberian  Cossack  troops 
and  of  peasant   settlers. 

The  Kirgiz  or  Kir- 
giz-Kaisaks  are  the  last 
representatives  of  the 
Tiirko  -  Mon.sol  hordes, 
who  used  to  invade  the 
more  civilised  countries 

of  \siaand  Eastern  Europe.  Thev  Inrm  over  SO  percent,  of  the  total  population 
in  the  Ste|,pe  borderland,  speak  a  Turkish  dialect,  are  Mohammedans,  with  a 
religious  belief  manifested  only  in  external  performance  of  rites  with  an  ad- 
mixture of  Shamanism. 

Thev  are  nomads  and.  from  the  first  spring  days  till  late  in  autumn,  live 
in  the  open  step|.e  sheltered  by  linht  movable  tents  or  .yiirtas-.  and  wander 
with  their  herds  in  a  direction  determined  iiy  ancient  custom.  The  ,yurta- 
represents  the  movable  property  of  the  Kirgiz:  it  can  be  folded  up  an.l  trans- 


..^.jj  .isim 

w 

feu 

MMM 

I^^^^HHHnd          -    ^^^^3  xft 

wi 

r  ^ 

IBCi^^^ JK^  S*r  ^ 

i-^ 

^^Bl^fltv^^  .,-Jl  A-*^*> 

^HNB'^j  • 

F'      -  -t"      ^^m 

w 

Interior  of  a  Kirgiz  yurta;  'entertaining  guests  with  Itumys 
(phot,  by  Delazari). 


154 


niUDE  TO  THE  OREAT  SIHKKIAX    IIAII.WAY. 


Kirgiz  winterquarters  (phol.  by  Delazari). 


|iiirti'(l  tiiiretliiT  with  other  articles,  lolluwiivir  thr  iinivi'iiii'nts  of  the  nimiads. 
In  the  northern  stepi)Ps,  only  the  pooi'est  Kiririz  live  in  vurtas  in  winter 
whereas,  further  south,  where  timber  is  more  scarce  and  tlie  climate  more 
favourable,  they  are  used  both  in  summm-  and  wintei-.  A  j^reat  nunilier  of 
yiirtas  are  always  pitched  amniig  the  roods  near  Lake  Halkhash  and  the  ri- 
ver Chu.  They  are  made  _ 
of  wood,  plaited,  woven 
anil  felt  materials.  The 
do(ir  of  tiie  yurta  usually 
looks  X.  E.  in  an  oppo- 
site direction  to  the  land. 
to  which  the  Mohamme- 
dan Kirgiz  addresses  his 
prayers  (Mecca  and  Me- 
dina). This  is  also  done 
with  .-1  view  to  avoid  the 
south  and  south-westein 
winds  prevailing  In  the 
steppe.  The  yi'irtas  are . 
characterised  by  two 
difi'erent  shapes:  one  is 
conic,  tlie  other  has  the 
lorni  of  a  cupola.  The 
possession  of  a  great  niunber  of  yurtas  of  various  shapes  constitutes  the  pride 
of  the  Kirgiz.  An  ordinary  grey  felt  yurta  costs  fi-om  R.  50  to  R.  40,  a  better 
one  made  of  ornanu'nted  felt  costs  R.  150  and  even  more.  The  whole  life  of 
the  Kirgtz  is  centred  in  the  yurta.  It  .gives  a  shelter  to  his  childhood  and  youth, 
and  is  witness  of  his  ]>rivate  and  jiublic  life.  His  ideas  of  the  outer  world  col- 
oured by  a  scanty  poetry  take  their  rise  in  the  life  of  the  yurta.  The  life  of  the 
Kirgiz  with  their  scanty  joys  and  sorrows  passes  in  the  yurta:  he  reluctantly 
seeks  another  refuge  for  the  winter,  under  the  pressure  of  cold  and  wind. 
With  the  sun's  first  rays,  the  Kirgiz  is  happy  to  quit  his  cramiied  and  close 
winter  shelter  and  to  return  again  to  his  beloved  steppe. 

The  Kirgiz  pitch  their  winter-camps  at  the  fnot  of  the  mountains,  in  river 
valleys,  on  a  for- 
est border,  on 
reed-covered  lake 
shores,  and  in  pla- 
ces protected  from 
cold  and  snow 
drifts. 

They  inhabit 
small  wooden  huts 
without  chimney 
and  with  open 
hearth  CO  verotl  by  a 
ceiling  but  without 


A  s6tnia  (hundred)  of  Siberian  Cossacks. 


roof.  The  winter  huts  of  the  lich  recall  common  jieasant  cottages.  The  Kir- 
giz attach  a  special  importance  to  these  winter  (luarters  as  forming  the  centre 
of  their  land  tenure;  as  soon  as  these  winter  settlements  become  i)ermanent 
they  will  lead  to  a  gradual  passage  ti'om  nomad  to  settled  life,  and  to  a  more 


THE  KIRGIZ  STEPI'E  BORDERLAND. 


i:>:> 


liixed  uso  of  ihn  land.  The  Kiririz  in  this  territory  liclonii- to  tho  Central  Horde 
im-hidin;;  numrroiis  familii's.  marked  by  ditVcrent  characteristie  traits.  For 
purposes  ot  administration,  they  are  irrouped  in  volosts  and  villages.  All  the- 
land  of  the  Kiriiiz  Steppe  borderland  belongs  to  the  State,  and  is  only  granted 
to  the  perpetual  use  of  the  nomads:  the  frontiers  between  the  possessions  of 
the  wanderers  are  fiixed  in  accorchince  with  former  occupation  or  hereditary 
custom. 

The  Cossacks  forming  the  Siberian  troops  were  the  first  cidonists  of  the 
Kirgiz  steppe;  representing  about  ten  percent,  of  the  total  population  of  the 
Steppe  territories,  the  Siberian  Cossack  troops  are  located  in  the  Akmolinsk 
and  Seniipaliitinsk  territories,  and  the  Biisk  district  of  the  Tomsk  govern- 
ment. Most  of  the  Siberian  "Cossack  settlements  stretch  in  a  line,  commen- 
cing at  the  boundary  of  the  region  occupied  l)y  the  Orenburg  Cossack  troops, 
following  the  northern  bor- 
der of  the  Kirgiz  stejipe  and 
the  south  of  the  Tobolsk 
government,  throujrh  the 
town  of  Petroiuivlovsk  and 
eastwards  to  Omsk,  which 
bears  the  name  of  Presno- 
gorkovskaya  or  Gorkaya 
line.  This  line  is  traversed  by 
the  (treat  Siberian  Railway, 
between  the  towns  ot'llmsk 
and  IVtropavlovsk.  The  Pre- 
snogorkovskaya  or  Gorkaya 
line  comprises  an  area  of 
a  million  and  a  half  desia- 
tins.  and  is  occupied  by  the 
right  Hank  of  the  troops. 
From  Omsk,  this  line  takes 

a  south-eastern  direction,  and  continues  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Irtysh 
by  way  of  the  towns  of  Pavlodar,  Semipalatinsk,  Ust-Kamenogorsk,  thence 
turning  north-east  into  the  valley  of  the  Hiikhtarma  river.  This  portion  of  the 
territory  occupied  by  the  troops  is  called  the  Irtysh  line,  foi-ming  the  left 
flank,  with  a  length  of  1,247  versts  and  a  breadth  varying  between  10  and  30 
versts.  The  Hiisk  line,  running  through  the  Tomsk  government,  occupies  the 
slopes  of  the  Altai.  Many  of  the  Cossack  settlements  are  scattered  all  other 
the  steppe. 

The  territory  occupied  by  the  troops  has  an  area  of  .^.174,949  desiatins, 
with  a  population  of  131,.344  of  both  sexes. 

The  troops  are  under  the  chief  administration  and  command  of  the  Gover- 
nor-General of  the  Steppe  Territory  and  of  the  commandant  of  the  Siberian 
military  department,  bearing  the  title  of  Chief  Atamiin  of  the  Siberian 
Cossack  troops.  The  Board  of  Home  Miliary  Affairs  is  under  his  direct  control, 
the  management  of  the  troops  being  entrusteil  to  three  subordinate  .Vtamans. 

I  The  chief  element  of  the  military  jiopulation  is  represented  by  Great 
Russians,  only  a  small  number  being  Little  Russians,  Mordvas  or  members 
of  some  other  tribe.  Orthodoxy  is  the  ])revalent  reli.tcion  anions:  the  troops. 
those  professing  any  other  creed  forming  but  a  small  jiercentage  of  the 
whole  contingent.  The  greater  number  of  Cossacks    professing    Mohamme- 


Siberian  Cossack  in  marching  outfit  (phot.  Col.  Katanaev). 


156 


lillDK  TO  THE  (iKEAT  SIDKUIAN    KAILW.W. 


ilaiiism  lalioiit  1.7(10)  aro  concentrated  in  the  Kokchet:ivsk  ami  l'etro|ia\iovsk 
distficts  of  the  Akniolinsk  territory.  The  nuniljei'  of  dissenters  amoiint.s  to 
1.200,  divided  into  two  sects:  one  recognising  tlie  clergy,  the  otlier  dlsowningl; 
they  are  settled  in  tlie  Kokchetavsk,  Petropavlovsk  and  the  Ust-ivamenogiirsk 
districts.  The  princiiial  sources  of  the  economic  welfare  of  the  troops  are 
agriculture,  cattle-breedin.g  and  fishing.  According  to  the  existing  organi- 
sation, the  contingent  of  the  Siberian  Co.ssack  troops  is  divided  into  the 
following  classes:  the  preparatory  class,  comprising  Cossack  boys,  registered, 
from  the  age  of  eighteen  for  a  period  of  three  years:  the  class  comprising 
Cossacks  in  the  ranks  enrolled  from  the  a,ge  of  21  tor  a  period  of  12  years;  and 
the  reserve  class,  including  for  five  years  the  Cossacks  who  have  passed  the 
second  stage.  At  the  age  of  38  they  are  discharged.  On  the  first  January 
1897  the  number  of  registered  Cossacks  aged  from  18  to  .38.  was  16.7.'>2  tro- 
opers and  192  officers.  In  time  of  war.  the  Siberian  Cossack  troops  must  turn 
out  nine  cavalry  regiments  of  si.\  hundred  men  each,  or  fifty  four  cavalr]^ 
sotnias,  and  three  reserve  sotnias. 


Election  to  public  offices  in  the  Kirgiz  steppe. 

The  iieasant  colonisation  of  the  Kirgiz  steppes  followed  the  colonisation 
by  the  Cossacks,  and  was  begun  only  at  the  end  of  the  XIX  century.  At  thtt 
time  of  the  organisation  of  the  Akniolinsk  and  Semipalatinsk  territories  in 
1868,  they  did  not  possess  one  single  peasant'  settlement,  the  permanent 
liopulation  of  these  territories  was  represented  solely  by  town  inhabitants 
and  Cossacks.  In  1875.  the  Governor  General  of  ^^■est-Silleria.  .Vdjiitaiit-General 
Kaznakov  stated  in  his  report  to  the  Emperor,  that  Cossack  colonisation 
little  contributeil  to  the  civilisation  of  the  half  wild  nomad  population,  and 
insisted  upon  the  necessity  of  settling  the  steppes  with  Ktissian  peasants,  as 
a  means  of  planting  Russian  civilisation  among  the  natives  and  of  con- 
nectin.g  the  interests  of  th<'  local  inhabitants  with  those  of  the  Russianculti- 
vator. 


Till-:  KllililZ  SITl'PK  miRIiKKl.ANI). 


Fi»r  this  puri)ose,  spctions  of  Iniiil  wliiili  witi'  to  hr  ciilnnisrd  liy  iioasants 
frniii  the  interior  movormiii'iits  ol' Kiiro|ii'aii  Russia  wen'  ciioseii  and  surveyed 
in  tile  eentre  of  tile  Alvlllolinslv  stepix'. 

Altliouiili  many  niistalies  wore  made  as  regards  tlie  selection  of  tlie  land, 
siill  tlie  settlements  of  emiii'fants  produced  n  most  <'ivilisin.Lr  efl'ert  iini  i,nl\ 
on  the  nomad  natives. 
who  previous  to  their 
acquaintanee  with  the 
emigrated  peasants  we- 
re ignorant  of  any  mode 
of  land  cultivation,  hut 
also  on  the  Cossacks  id' 
the  Siherian  troops,  who 
profited  hy  the  farmiui:- 
experience  of  the  new 
colonists.  Since  1898.  tlie 
movement  to  the  .\kmo- 
linsk  steppe  was  greatly 
increased  hy  the  pmnis- 
sion  granted  to  the  [lea- 
sants  to  voluiitaril\  set- 
tle this  region  and  to 
occupy  the  free  State  lands.  ]irineipally  in  the  Ko|<(dietavsk  distrist.  Upon 
the  opening  of  the  West-Siherian  Railway,  the  colonisation  of  the  steppe 
took  a  more  regular  course,  the  localities  whi(:h  were  to  he  settled  being  se- 
lected beforehand. 

.Vccording  to  an  order  of  the  Committee  for  the  construction  of  the  Sibe- 
rian Railway,  a  sjiecial  survey  party  was  entrusted  with  the  ascertainment 
of  the  free  State  lands,  lying  within  the  range  of  the  railway  (not  above  a 
distance  of  a  hundred  versts)  in  the  Petropiivlovsk  and  Omsk  districts,  best 
suited  for  present  and  future  colonisation.  From  1893  to  1895,  seventy-three 
sections  of  land  were  selected  in  both  districts,  having  a  superficial  area  of 
38«5,69.'j  desiatins.  with  a  reserve  of  nine  sections,  w'ith  an  area  of  43.730 
desiatins  in  the  Kokchetavsk  distriirt. 

The  iirogress  of  colonisation  is  strikingly  illustrated  by  the  followin;:- 
data: 


by  Deiazari). 


Year. 


Villnges. 

18 
24 
;38 
45 
54 
.  87 
132 

During  the  year  1396.  the  settlement  of  lands  lying  near  to  the  railway 
line,  was  carried  on  mainly  in  the  Petropavlovsk  and  Omsk  districts.  Being 
almost  devoid  of  running  water,  grants  of  land  were  made  in  proximity  to 
lakes  and  wells.  The  emigration  movenn'nt  to  the  steppes  of  the  Akniolinsk 
and  Omsk  districts  somewhat  diminished  in  1897,  but  increased  again  in 
1898—1899. 


1879 
1889 
1892 
1893 
1894 
1895 
1896 


Pnpiilatiun. 

1.749 
11,740 
28,584 
30.544 
39.705 
61,809 
99,399 


158 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  .SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


Considerable  portions  were  detached  from  the  Kirgiz  lands  for  the  colo- 
nisation of  the  steppes;  this  involved  the  investigation  of  the  natural  history 
and  statistics  of  the  Akniolinsk  territory,  with  a  view  to  ascertaining  the 
economic  condition  of  the  nomad  population,  and  to  establishing  the  noi'inal 
extent  of  land  needed  for  the  subsistence  of  a  Kirgiz  family;  at  the  same 
time  suitable  districts  for  new  settlements  were  to  be  selected  without  cau- 
sing damage  to  the  interests  of  the  existing  steppe  population.  The  plan  of 
exploration  was  furnished  with  the  following  programme: 

1)  The  study  and  description  of  the  region  from  a  physical  and  mainly 
an  agricultural  point  of  view,  together  with  the  demarcation  of  the  land 
needed  tor  pastures,  croi^s  and  hay: 

2)  The  ascertainment  of  the  lands  and  economical  conditions  of  the 
wandering  Kirgiz,  with  a  view  to  determine  the  extent  of  the  land  needed 
for  their  use,  and  also  to  note  all  attempts  made  by  the  nomads  towards 
Iiermanent  settlement: 

3)  The  investigation  of  the  mode  of  life  of  the  settled  Russian  population 
with  a  view  to  ascertain  the  conditions  upon  which  depend  the  results  of 
colonisation. 

These  physical  and  statistical  explorations  carried  into  effect  in  the 
Kokchetavsk  and  Akmolinsk  districts  shewed  5,000,OT3  desiatins  of  free  Kirgiz 
land,  of  which  about  500,000  desiatins  are  already  occupied  by  settlers,  and 
4(Ki.(»00  desiatins  were  assigned  in  1899  for  future  colonis  ation.With  a  view  to 

consolidate  the  settle- 
ment of  emigrants,  the 
Committee  for  the  Sibe- 
rian Railway  has  under- 
taken the  improvement 
of  the  land  and  started 
a  series  of  hydrotech- 
nical  works  for  the  wate- 
ring of  the  steppe  dis- 
tricts. 

The  emigration  mo- 
vement to  the  Semipa- 
latinsk  territory  goes  on 
at  a  much  inferior  rate 
to  that  to  Akmolinsk; 
up  to  the  present  time, 
new  settlements  in  the 
Semipalatinsk  territory 
have  been  established 
solely  in  the  Semipala- 
tinsk and  Ust-Kamenogorsk  districts,  with  a  respective  population  of  5,940  (3,084 
males,  2,856  females)  and  3,029  souls  (1,576  males,  1,455  females). 

The  following  constructions  have  been  carried  out  in  the  Akmolinsk 
territory  at  the  cost  or  with  the  help  of  the  fund  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  Hi. 
in  order  to  satisfy  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  settlers  and  id'  the  whole 
orthodox  population,  comprised  within  tiic  range  of  the  Great  Siberian 
Railway: 

A  wooden  church  near  the  station  of  Isyl-Kul.  and  two  fully  organised 
parish  schools  at  the  stations  of  Petropavlovsk  and  Isyl-iuil Thiny  ehurches 


Types  of  Kirgiz  women    (phot,  by  Delazari). 


THE  KIRGIZ  STEPPE  BORDEHI.ANU. 


159 


have  been  erected  at  the  stations  of  Petropavlovsk  and  Omsk,  built  in  various 
st-niements  scattered  all  over  the  wide  stepi)e  area,  and  nine  are  in  process 
of  construction  in  the  new  settlements;  ten  schools  have  been  erected  and 
oriranised  within  the  emigration  settlements,  nine  are  still  in  course  of  con- 
struction. 

Agriculture  and  cattle-raising  are  the  principal  sources  of  the  welfare  of 
the  population  in  the  Kirgiz  borderland.  Upon  the  whole,  the  cultivation  and 
pariicularly  agriculture  in  this  recently  settled  region  is  not  as  yet  developed 
as  might  be  expected  from  the  favnurable  conditions  of  soil  and  climate.  The 
plains  on  the  west  of  the  Akmolinsk  ter- 
ritory, stretching  along  the  Ishim,  and  the 
lands  lying  to  the  south  of  the  town  of 
Akmolinsk  along  the  river  Xura,  are  spe- 
cially well  adojited  for  agriculture  and  are 
in  great  favour  with  the  settlers.  The 
lands  in  the  Semipalatinsk  territory  are  a 
great  deal  less  fit  for  cultivation.  Its  ele- 
vated surface  accounts  for  the  absence  ot 
moisture  and  for  the  continental  climate 
which  in  numy  places  excludes  the  possi- 
bility of  cultivating  land  without  artificial 
irriiration. 

The  peasant  settlers  receive  a  grant 
of  l.T  desiatins  to  every  man,  and  an  ex- 
tt'nsive  area  of  land  belongs  to  the  Cos- 
sacks or  is  in  the  use  of  the  Kirgiz:  this 
gives  scope  for  the  application  of  the  fal- 
low land  system,  which  is  the  predomi- 
nating form  of  husbandry  in  the  fertile 
districts  of  the  West  Siberian  lowlands. 
This  system  is  essentially  based  on  the 
exploitation  ofthe  natural  productive  force  of  the  soil,  which  is  restored  to 
it  after  every  harvest  by  leaving  it  unsown;'after  a  period  of  6— 12  years  in 
which  4— ti  crops  have  been  raised,  the  land  is  left  waste  for  lO — 12  years. 
The  first  crops  raised  on  fallow  land  are  very  rich  amounting  to  2(10  puds  per 
desiatin:  the  second  time  the  fields  are  sown  without  any  previous  preparation. 

The  ju-edominating  grain  is  wheat.  The  Little  Russian  plough  drawn  by 
oxen  is  chiefly  employed.  Many  among  the  peasant  settlers  have  ploughs  on 
the  Ekkert  and  Sakk  systems,  and  i>urchase  agricultural  tools  manufactured 
in  the  .State  works  of  Votkin,  in  the  depots  of  the  Department  of  State 
Domains. 

The  spi-int:  corn  is  sown  in  the  following  order  from  about  the 
10  .\pril  to  the  10  of  May:  ^yaritsa",  wheat,  oats,  barley  and  millet. 
Winter  corn  is  sown  from  the  ti  .Vu.irust.  With  every  year  agriculture  grows 
more  familiar  to  the  Siberian  Cossacks,  who  a  short  time  ago  had  no  culti- 
vated fields  and  were  supplied  with  grain  by  the  neighbouring  governments 
of  Western  Siberia.  .\t  present  they  own  extensive  cultivated  areas  and  of- 
fer their  produce  for  sale.  As  regards  the  Kirgiz,  the  (juantity  of  ciUtivated 
fields  is  small  in  proportion  to  the  total  numlter  of  the  population.  Employ- 
ing as  food  milk  and  meat  obtained  from  their  numerous  herds,  the  Kirgiz 
eat  little  bread,  using  mainly  wheat  meal,  and  prefer  to  get  it  by   purchase 


Kirgiz  bride  in  wedding  attire    (phot,    by 
Delazari). 


1()0 


GI'IHE  TO  TFIE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    liAII.WAY. 


iir  barter  to  obtaining'  it  at  the  cost  of  the  hiinl  ami  unused  labour  attached 
to  agriculture.  Still  the  Kirgiz  are  adopting  already  some  of  the  agronomic 
systems  imported  by  peasant  settlers  who.  leasing  considerable  portions  ol 
their  land  in  return  for  iiart  of  the  harvest,  contribute  to  the  development 
and  ex|)ansion  of  the  cultivated  area.  The  gardens  extensively  cultivated  by 
the  Siberian  Cossacks  represent  an  important  resource  for  their  households. 
The  Cossack  population  always  suffered  from  the  want  of  workmen  diverted 
IViini  household  duties  by  military  service  and  public  duties:  the  cultivatiiin 
nf  the  gardens  by  the  women  was  the  characteristic  feature  of  a  Cossack 
homestead;  in  them  the  following  vegetables  are  raised:  water  melons,  melons, 
cucumbers,  turnips,  carrots,  beet-root,  cabbages  and  onions.  The  cultivation 
(if  tobacco  is  also  practised  throughout  the  Cossack  settlements,  and  exclus- 
ively by  the  Cossacks;  the  Kirgiz  and  .the  jteasants  do  not  occup\  them- 
selves with  it.  and  are  the  principal  consumers  of  this  product.  The  tobacco 
cultivated  by  the  Cossacks,  or  ]iroiierly  speaking  by  the  Cossack  women,  is 
nf  a  very  inferior  quality  and  is  mostly  planted  in  the  orchards.  Seeds  of 
a  strong  Russian  tobacco,  distributed  every  year  to  the  Cossacks  by  their 
authorities  for  sowing,  are  obtaining  an  ever  increasing  favour.  The  cultiva- 
tion of  melons  and  water  melons  is  also  a  great  help  tn  the  peasants,  princi- 
pally in  the  southern  steppe. 

The  vast  pastures  of  the  steppe  region  combined  with  favourable  condi- 
tions of  soil  and  climate  give  a  wide  scope  to  cattle-raising  which,  as  the 
principal  economic  featm-e  of  the  Kirgiz,  meets  every  iniuirement  of  the 
uiunads. 

Their  herds  sujijily  fully  their  simple  needs,  giving  them  as  footi  horse-flesh, 
uiuttiui  auil  milk,  products  such  as  kuniys  ami  air;'iu.  one  made  of  mare's  milk,- 

the    other  of   cow's    oi- 
sheejt's  milk,  and  a  kim 
nf  cheese  called  kurt  or, 
cremchik.      dress      and 
ilwelling  (felt  covers  for 
the    yurtas),    household 
utensils  made  of  smoked 
skins,  bags   for   kumy.s.'f] 
water  jiails  and  fuel.  They-j 
also    choose    for    races 
among    their  droves    of  I 
hnrscs  the  swiftest  run-J 
nci-.    the    pridi^   and  de-.| 
linht  nf  thi'  Kirgiz..  The 
great  love  they  have  fop  J 
animals  manifests   itsel 

A  Kirgiz  bride  being  sent  off  to  her  bridegroom  (phot,  by  Delazari).         ''''  ''^"-^  greeting  they  glV^J 

each    other    when  the}*'| 
meet;  before  asking  almut  the  wcdfai-e  nf  the  family,  they  say:  „mal-dzhisky- 
ma",  which  m<»ans.  „ls  the  cattle  thriving?"  The  stock  raised  by  the  Kii-iiiz  is;| 
represented  by  shee]),  horses,  cattle,  goats,  and  camels. 

The  shee])  possess. a  coarse  wool  and  a  fat  tail,  and  represent  the  chief' 
resource  of  the  Kir.giz.  They  are  characterised  by  their  great  size,  hanginj?^' 
ears,  hooked  nose  and  fat  tail,  which  in  a  well-fed  sheep,  weighs  about  .SO 
to  40  prmiids.    with  '2(1  tn  .-!(i  pnumls  of  fat.  The  flesh   is    full  nf   fat.  which    is 


THE  KIRGIZ  STEPPE  BORDERLAND. 


Kil 


:lic'  pi-iiifipal  articlo  of  sale.  Thi.s  kiiul  of  slioop  an-  very  biir  and  stnui.:: 
h(\v  are  I'DVcrcil  with  an  almndant  hut  rather  coarse  wool,  whk-li  shorn 
uice  a  year,  yields  from  4  to  7  iiounds  every  time.  Further  south,  the  sliecp 
iire  of  a  better  breed  and  fetch  a  higher  price.  The  best  sheep  are  found  in 
the  south  of  the  Akmolinsk  and  Semipalatinsk  territories,  and  cost  twice  as 
much  as  in  the  north.  The  skins  are  rated  according  to  the  time  when  the 
sheep  was  slaughtered  and  its  age.  The  best  skins  come  from  the  sheep 
killed  in  autumn  and  are  employed  for  i)eiisses. 

The  Kirgiz  horse  is  endowed  with  an  unpromising  exterior;  but  has  in- 
c'stimable  qualities.  The  thorough-bred  possesses  the  following  characteristic 
marks:  a  middle  height  (about  2  arshins),  a  short  back  (12  vershoks),  a  well 
■roportioned  muscular  and  expressive  head,  with  small  standing  ears,  a  hook- 
I  nose  with  broad  nostrils,  a  well-formed  chest,  a  low  neck,  a  broad  and 
strong  croup,  strong  feet  with  flat  hoofs  and  a  very  light  and  swift  [lace. 
'irazin.g  the  whole  year 
round,  the  Kirgiz  horso 
^'ets  used  to  the  incle- 
mency of  tile  weather 
and  finds  its  own  fodder. 
The  winter  lasting  si.\ 
months  demands  a  great 
store  of  strength  and 
force  of  endurance.  As 
a  rule  the  Kirgiz  ride  a 
distance  of  100  — l.')ii 
versts  on  the  same  horsr 
in  10  —  12  hours,  with 
inly  short  rests.  Accor- 
ding to  the  data  of  the 
'Musk  Amateur  Racing 
-Society  a  Kirgiz  horse. 
:or  a  distance  of  20 
vi-rsts,  runs  at  the  rate  of  a  verst  in  one  minute  and  a  half.  Special  atlen- 
lion  has  Iteen  paid  to  these  horses  by  tiie  managers  of  the  Imperial  Studs; 
stud  stables  are  organised  in  the  neighbouring  Turgai  territory,  with  a  view 
to  improve  the  exterior  of  the  Kirgiz  horse  by  a  proper  selection  and  cros- 
sing of  the  blood. 

The  cattle  is  of  middle  size,  strong  and  well  proportioned,  furnishing 
-ood  meat,  good  beasts  of  burden  and  a  considerable  (juantity  of  milk.  The 
xport  of  these  cattle,  which  are  very  easily  fattened  and  are  rated  at  alow 
price,  has  assumed  large  i)roporti<uis.  Some  specimens  of  the  local  cattle 
yield  about  1.5  puds  of  meat  and  2  puds  of  fat.  Right  puds  of  meat  is  obtained 
from  a  cow. 

Goats  are  kept  among  the  sheep  for  their  hair  or  as  leaders  to  the  herds, 
which  can  more  easily  be  managed  when  goats  shew  the  way. 

Two-humped  camels  are  kept  mainly  in  the  southern  steppes.  Beinir  em- 
ployed for  the  transport  of  burdens,  they  also  provide  the  Kirgiz  with  milk, 
meat.  hair,  and  skins,  and  more  recently  have  been  used  for  agricultural 
purposes. 

Cattle-breeding  is  carried  on  b.\  the  Kirgiz  in  a  most  primitive  and  care- 
less way.  according  to  the  drove  system  which  was  established  some  hund- 

11.^ 


A  Kirgiz  musician  (phot,  by  Delazari). 


162 


OUrDE  TO  TllK  (iKUAT  SIHEIIIAN    KAII.WAY. 


I'ed  years  ago.  The  KLrgiz  herds,  grazing  all  tln'  year  in  the  o|i(mi  stcppr. 
are  utterly  uncared  for  and  left  to  the  mercy  of  snow,  storm,  frost,  wolves 
and  other  wild  beasts,  which  often  cause  great  damage  to  the  cattle-owners. 
According  to  the  information  of  the  veterinary  insjjection  of  the  strppi' 
region  in  1897.  the  number  of  cattle  in  the  Mmolinsk  territory  was  3,4i)2,i:U 
head,  and  in  the  Semipalatinsk  territory  was  3,099,052  h(>ad. 

.\kmolinsk  territory.  .Semipaliilinsk  territory. 

Horses 8.58,673  800,048 

Cattle 574,126  450,000 

Camels 91,769  90,000 

Sheep 1,794,014  1,709,404 

Goats 72,810  49.600 

Swine 10,742  — 

In  tile  Akmolinsk  territory,  the  nomads  dwellinir  in  the  Akmolinsk  and 
Atbasar  districts,  and  those  of  the  Zaisan  district  in  tlic  SemipalAtinsk  ter- 
ritory, are  well  provided  with  cattle. 

Hunting  and  fowling  are  much  practised  by  the  population.  The  Kirgi'z 
are  fond  of  these  sports,  which  are  the  single  jileasure  they  have  in  the 
steppes.  Being  remarkably  long-sighted,  the  Kirgiz  goes  on  horseback  in  search 
iif  wolves  armed  with  a  short  stick  (soil)  or  with  a  thick  tightly  twisted 
whip  (nagaika). 

As  soon  as  the  wolf  is  detected,  the  huntsman  pursues  him  with  loud 
shouts  indicating  the  success  of  his  efforts.  Other  hunters  join  him,  and  af- 
ter a  race  of  about  15  versts,  the  wolf  is  run  down  exhausted.  The  tired  wolf 
sits  on  his  hind  legs  with  open  jaw  and  hanging,  swollen  tongue.  One  hard 
stroke   with   stick    or   whip  hitting  the  animals  head  or  nose  is  sufficient  to 

kill  him.  The  Kirgiz  seldom  use  poison  or 
gun  for  destroying  wolves,  which  more- 
over can  hardly  be  a|i|iroached  within  gun- 
shot. The  favourite  sport  of  the  Kirgiz  is 
fox  hunting  with  a  falcon;  the  fox  and  the 
Vulpes  corsac  are  also  chased  with  hounds, 
which  are  a  mixture  of  the  Turkmen  and 
Kirgiz  steppe  greyhounds.  The  Kirgiz  shoot 
the  liadger  and  marmot  in  order  to  get 
their  skin  and  tat,  the  latter  being  consi- 
dered by  them  as  a  medicine  and  a  good 
|)reservative  against  frost  bites.  The  fat  is 
also  cmiiloyedto  grease  the  leather  straps 
(if  their  saddles.  The  aborigenes  seldom 
use  firearms  to  shoot  birds,  but  take  them 
rhief'ly  in  nets,  traps  etc.  With  a  view  to 
preserve  game,  the  laws  for  regulating 
hunting  were  introduced  into  the  region  in 
1893.  The  number  of  varimis  hides  sold  at 
the  central  Constantino  fair  held  at  Akmohn.sk  illustrate  the  extent  of  the  in- 
dustry. The  following  figures  shew  the  quantity  sold  there  annually:  4,000  wolf. 
2..5(X)  fox,  18,000  corsac,  150,000  marmot,  10,000  badger,  and  200,000  hare  skins, 
Beekeeping  has  been  for  some  time  an  occupation  of  the  Cossack  popula- 
tion of  (he    I'st-Kainenogorsk    district,    in  the  Semipal.itiiisk    ten-itory.  Bees 


Kirgiz  hunter  with  falcon  (phot,  by  Delazari). 


THE  KIRGIZ  STEPPE  BORDERLAND. 


163 


wtTi'  brouglit  to  this  country  for  the  tli-st  tinio  from  tlie  Kiev  govenimenl  at 
the  end  of  the  XVIII  century.  The  rich  flora  of  the  Altai  contributed  to  the  suc- 
cessful develoimient  of  this  pursuit,  which  is  now  carried  on  thoughout  th(> 
.Vltai.  Some  apiaries  with  hives  of  new  systems  yield  al)out  .3,(»)  puds  of 
honey  annually. 

Fishini;  represents  a  most  important  resource  for  the  Cossack  population: 
Lakes  Zaisan,  Marka-Kul  and  many  others  of  various  dimensions  as  well  as 
the  Irtysh  are  contained  within  the  confines  of  the  land  allotted  to  them. 
The  Kirgiz  get  fish  from  the  Balkhash,  the  rivers  Chu,  Ishini,  Xiira  and 
others.  The  Zaisan  and  the  upper  reaches 
of  the  Irtysh  are  abundantly  provided  with 
fish  and.  although  the  sale  of  this  article 
has  been  carried  on  for  a  long  time  past, 
the  Cossacks  are  entirely  ignorant  of  the 
methods  lor  preserving  fish. 

Factories  and  works  in  the  Kirgiz 
sie|ipeare  mainly  employed  in  the  getting 
of  animal  products,  such  as  fat,  the  skins 
of  sheep  and  other  animals,  wool  etc.  which 
are  abundantly  sujiplied  by  the  steppe 
herds.  The  goods  manufactured  in  the 
existini;  works  are  few  in  kind  and  of  an 
inferior  iiuality.  testifying  to  the  insignifi- 
ant  industrial  develoimient  of  this  country: 
tiie  existing  manufactories  are  very  small 
and  of  a  very  primitive  construction,  with- 
out any  modern  machinery  or  the  assi- 
--lanre  of  trained  mechanics,  they  have 
the  appearance  of  simple  workshops.  The 
abundance  of  raw  materials  and  of  com- 
mon and  Glauber's  salt  found  in  the  steppe 
legion,  might  be  made  the  basis  of  an  extensive  and  profitable  leatlier, 
.--oai>  and  soda  trade. 

The  Kirgiz  steppe  borderland,  containing  a  population  of  about  a  million 
and  a  half,  possesses  an  industry  the  annual  produce  of  which  scarcely 
amounts  to  the  value  of  R.  2.(XK),000.  All  the  raw  materials  are  exported  from 
this  region,  where  tallow  l)oileries,  tanneries,  sheep-skin,  wool-washing  and 
gut-works,  occupy  an  important  i)lace  on  acount  of  their  yearly  output.  The 
tallow  boileries  arc  established  near  places  called  „salgany"  where  the  cattle 
are  slaughtered  in  autumn.  They  take  the  form  of  wooden  sheds  provided 
with  iron  kettles  for  tallow  melting,  fitted  in  hearths  placed  below  the  floor 
close  to  the  wall  of  the  building.  Wooden  boxes  in  which  the  tallow  is  poureil 
to  cool  stand  in  the  middle. 

The  tanning  consists  of  a  most  i)rimitive  process  jtroducing  a  coarse  ma- 
terial called  .yukhta".  The  sheepskins  are  left  untanned  in  the  factories,  and 
are  despatched  to  Russia  for  final  preparation,  which  is  done  principally  in 
the  town  of  Shiiya  of  the  Vladimir  government. 

Wool  is  washed  also  in  a  very  primitive  way.  in  plain  wooden  boxes 
placed  on  the  l>anks  of  rivers  and  lakes:  the  wool  is  put  into  the  boxes, 
which  are  filled  with  water,  and  is  trampled  by  the  workmen:  it  is  then 
spread  on  a  net,  washed  over  again  and  dried. 


Hunting  falcons  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe 


16-1  GUIDE  Tfi  THi:  OKKAT  SlltKKIAN    RAILWAY. 

The  ii'iits  are  prepared  merely  in  spacious  cottages,  witlmut  any  special 
appliances.  They  only  have  table.s  for  cleanin.g  and  salting  the  guts,  which 
are  put  in  a  tub  standing  at  hand.  The  guts  cleaned  with  wooden  knives, 
are  wound  in  skeins  which,  after  having  been  dippeil  in  fine  salt,  are  ran ired 
in  tubs  where  they  lie  for  two  to  four  days  thus  becoming  hard.  Tlic\  are 
then  stored  in  snuvU  barrels,  closed  up  and  mad(>  ready  for  exi>ort. 

The  domestic  industries  pursued  by  the  peasants,  but  recently  settled  in 
the  Kirgiz  steppe  border-land,  have  not  as  .vet  assumed  any  characteristic 
form;  however,  according  to  the  statistical  information  given  by  the  colonists, 
these  kinds  of  industries  would  find  very  willing  adherence  amonir  them,  if 
they  received  some  assistance  and  were  heli)ed  to  the  organisation  of  asso- 
ciations. The  condition  of  the  Cossack  troops  shews  that  domestic  industries 
,  have  there  the  same  extent  as  in  the  governments  of  Great  Russia.  The 
spread  of  reading  and  writing  will  certainly  promote  the  development  of 
industry  among  the  Cossack  jiopulation.  endowed  with  a  ready  wit  and  a 
taste  for  occuptions  which  do  not  require  too  great  an  amount  of  jdiysical 
labour;  it  is  only  necessary  to  find  some  means  to  encourage  them  in  this  line. 

The  trade  and  industry  of  the  nomad  population  of  the  Kirgiz  border 
are  quite  independent  and  original  as  to  the  articles  produced  and  the  means 
of  their  manufacture.  Excepting  some  metal  wares  such  as;  kettles,  tea-urns, 
teapots,  trunks,  axes  etc.  and  trinkets,  all  the  domestic  and  househidd  articles 
employed  by  the  Kirgiz,  including  the  yiirta  and  the  horse  harness,  are  made 
by  the  members  of  the  Kirgiz  family,  chiefly  by  the  women  or  by  thi-  K'iririz 
artisans  specially  engaged  in  some  branch  of  industry. 

The  materials  employed  in  the  domestic  industry  of  the  Kirgiz  arc  prin- 
cipally wool  and  hair,  of  which  are  made  felt  (koshma),  a  woollen  stuff 
(armiachina)  sheep-wool  ropes  with  an  admixture  of  horse  hair  (arkan),  a 
kind  of  braid  of  various  breadth  for  the  arrangement  and  ornament  af  the 
yurtas  (baskiir),  woollen  carpets  with  patterns  (alacha).  The  felt  is  entirely- 
made  by  the  women.  They  assemble  at  the  appointed  time  and  beat  the 
washed  woolon  dry  horse  or  ox-skins,  then  it  is  spread  on  mats  matle  nf  a 
.grass  called  Lasiagrotis  splendens.  .\  big  roll  is  made  of  the  mat  and  the 
wool  which  previously  was  wetted  with  hot  water.  This  roll  is  tied  with  a 
string  and  has  rope  rings  on  both.  ends.  Two  women  pull  the  roll  by  these 
two  rings  and  turn  it,  pushing  it  with  their  feet.  The  roll  is  dragged  through 
the  village  and  the  steppe.  This  promenade  is  accompanied  by  laughter, 
chatter  and  joking  and  an  unusual  animation  in  the  village,  as  often  happens 
in  Russia  when  work  is  being  done  by  the  whole  commune. 

Hot  water  is  poured  several  times  over  the  roll:  the  woman  to  whom  it 
belongs  thinks  it  also  her  duty  to  pour  sour  sheep  milk  over  it.  repeating 
the  words:  „alte  kun  ash  bolsan,  ata  kadende  ummutna".  which  means  that 
if  is  better  not  to  eat  for  six  days  than  to  forget  the  custom  of  one's  fore- 
fathers. When  the  wool  is  sufl'icientl.v  fulled,  it  is  iu-ought  inside  the  yiirta 
and  rolled  u])  without  the  mat:  the  women  then  sit  in  a  row  and  l)eat  the 
roll  with  their  elbows,  pushing  it  to  and  fro  on  the  mat.  After  it  has  been 
rolled  in  this  way  for  some  time,  the  felt  is  put  aside  to  dry. 

The  surplus  of  home  manufactured  articles  is  bought  u|i  by  purchasers 
wandering  about  the  stepiie.  or  bartered  for  manufactured  goods.  The  Kiririz 
have  their  dress  made  of  home-siiun  woollen  stuff  .armiachina-.  while  the 
coarser  kind  is  employed  for  sacks  for  the  storage  and  transport  .d'  irrain 
and  flour;  horse-hair  ropes  are  used  for  harness. 


THi:  KIKIil/  .STKI'IM-:  lii  iKIiKlll.ANIi.  105 

Tanninir  Imlds  the  second  place  amoim-  the  iiulustrios  of  the  Kirgiz. 
iiichulinir  th(>  iir<'pai-ation  of  tlie  skins  of  the  domestic  animals  and  particu- 
larly nf  leather  for  hoots,  dress  and  other  household  uses.  The  population  is 
mIso  en.ga.sed  in  makinj;  saddles  and  harness,  in  the  trades  of  the  blacksmith 
;md  the  silversmith,  the  nuikinir  of  the  wooden  parts  for  the  yurtas,  and 
other  household  necessaries. 

The  internal  trade  of  the  Kir.;;i/.  steppe  l)orderland  comprises  three  divi- 
sions aoeordinu:  to  the  local  and  economic  conditions  of  the  population:  a 
permanent  traih'  centred  in  to^vns  and  some  lari^e  villages,  barter  carried  on 
with  the  Kirgiz,  in  which  a  ram  one  .vear  old  is  the  unit  of  exchange,  and  a 
lieriodical  or  market  trade.  The  towns  of  Petroiwivlovsk,  Omsk,  and  Akmolinsk 
are  the  chief  ct  ntres  of  the  iiermancnt  trade  in  the  Akmolfnsk  Territor.v: 
Semipalatinsk,  Favlod;it  and  Ust-Kamenogorsk— in  the  Semijialatinsk  Territory. 
Besides  these  jiermanent  centres  of  kussiaii  and  Kirgiz  trade,  commerce  is 
carried  on  in  the  Cossack  settlements  and  villages.  Kach  settlement  or  village 
otfers  a  market  for  Kirgiz  ,!ioods.  The  barter  trade  now  gradually  diminishing 
was  the  basis  of  the  tlrst  commercial  relations  with  the  Central  Asiatic 
steppes.  Now  the  market  trade  is  the  most  important,  and  is  carried  on  at 
centres  chosen  according  to  the  season  and  the  conditions  of  their  nomad 
life,  attracting  the  Kirgiz  and  thtMr  herds.  The  chief  articles  of  sale  are: 
cattle,  animal  produce  and  Kirgiz  domestic  wares,  Asiatic  goods  from  Turkes- 
tan such  as  long  coats  (khalat!,  blankets,  stuffs  of  cotton  and  silk,  dried  fruit, 
rice,  pistachio  nuts,  raisins  etc.:  the  products  of  European  industry,  grocen-, 
drugs,  trinkets  and  other  goods. 

The  fairs  held  in  the  steppe  region '  comprise  the  two  categories  of 
summer  and  winter  fairs  This  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  in  winter  the 
cattle  scarcely  find  enough  fodder  to  maintain  their  existence,  and  are  utterly 
exhausted;  as  soon  as  the  new  grass  appears  in  spring,  the  cattle  quickly 
re.irain  their  strength  and  are  fit  for  slaughter.  During  this  season,  the  Kirgiz 
are  able  to  determine  the  number  of  cattle  which  can  lie  sold:  the  Russian 
cattle  Imyers  also  avail  themselves  of  the  fresh  i>astures  for  driving  the 
newly  purchased  cattle  to  the  European  markets.  This  is  why  the  summer 
fairs  are  only  important  for  the  cattle  trade.  Further  south,  the  fairs  begin 
earlier.  In  the  Semirechensk  Territory,  they  are  held  in  april,  in  the  Seiiiipa- 
latinsk  Ten-itory  in  the  middle  of  may.  in  that  of  Akmolmsk  in  the  middle 
of  -luni'.  whereas  the  Taimhaktil  fair  which  takes  |)lace  in  proximity  to  the 
West-Siberian  railway  line  and  to  the  highwa,\s  leaiiing  to  the  towns  of 
Petropavlovsk  and  Kurgan,  is  opened  only  in  the  beginning  of  July. 

In  autumn,  the  Kirgiz  retire  to  their  close  and  smoky  huts,  and  settle  down 
for  the  winter.  As  soon  as  the  frost  begins,  they  kill  part  of  their  cattle  for 
tho  coming  winters  store,  and  bring  iiart  of  the  animal  products,  wool  and 
hair  collected  during  the  summer  to  the  wint('r  fairs,  where  animal  products 
are  (hietly  otiered  for  sale. 

The  winter  fairs  are  in  close  dependence  on  tlie  conditions  of  nomad 
life,  and  have  only  some  significance  for  the  Kirgiz  inhabiting  the  northern 
steppe  regions.  Those  wandering  in  the  south,  during  the  winter  dwell  at  a 
gri'at  distance  from  the  centres  oi  population  and  conseiiuentl.x'  are  obliged 
to  jiurchase  and  .sell  their  .sup|)lies  only  at  the  summer  fairs. 

The  latter  are  distributed  in  the  following  way  throughout  the  territories 
and  districts:  fifty-eight  take  place  in  the  .Vkmolinsk  territory  (twenty  in  the 
Petropavlovsk,  eight  in  the  Omsk,  twenty-seven  in  the    Ivikchetavsk,  two    in 


166 


UUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


the  Atbasar.  ono  in  the  Akmolinsk  districts).  Eigliteen  aro  held  in  the  Scmi- 
pahitinsk  Territory:  five  in  tiie  Semipalatin.sk,  seven  in  the  Pavlodar,  one  in 
the  KarkaraUnsk  and  five  in  the  Ust-Kamenogorsk  districts. 

The  most  important  among  them  is  the  Botovskaya  or  Kuyandy  fair,  witli 
a  tnrn-over  amounting  to  R.  4,000.000,  held  from  the  25  May  to  the  2')  June  in 
the  Semipalatiusk  Territory,  in  the  I\arkaralinsk  district,  near  the  military 
post  of  Ivuyiindy  standing  on  the  post  road  from  Karkaralinsk  to  Pavlodar. 
The  Constantine  fair  held  in  Akmolinsk  Irom  the  10  June  to  the  4  -Inly,  is 
visited  after  the  close  of  the  first.  According  to  information  given  by  the 
veterinary  inspection,  11,825  head  of  horned  cattle,  3,188  horses,  11,472  sheep, 
2,93.3  goats,  and  271  camels  were  brought  to  this  fair  in  1897,  with  the  follo- 
wing number  of  skins:  5,469  neat  skins,  17,729  horse  skins,  2,033  camel  skins, 
191.670  sheep  skins  and  37,777  goat  skins;  the  quantity  of  wool  amounted  to 
25,727  puds  sheep's,  11,773  puds  camel's,  and  423  goat's  wool,  besides  1,429  puds 
of  horsehair.  The  turn-over  is  estimated  at  R.  4.000,000.  The  Petrovskaya  fair 
takes  place  in  the  Cossack  settlement  of  Atbasar,  in  the  Akmolinsk  Territury 
from  the  10  June  to  the  5  July.  Its  importance  increases  every  year. 

Formerly  the  Kirgiz  inhabiting  the  southern  part  of  the  Atbasar  district 
used  to  drive  their  best  sheep  to  the  town  of  Troitsk  in  the  Orenburg  govern- 
ment; now   they   bring   them    to  this  fair.  In  1897,  the  number  of  sheep  was 


Orthodox  missionary  in  the  Kirgiz  steppe. 

94,499  head.  The  transactions  at  the  fair  amounted  to  R.  1,000,000  The 
Tamchakul  fair,  held  nar  the  lake  of  the  same  name  situated  in  the  Petro- 
])avlovsk  district  of  the  Akmolinsk  Territory,  is  held  from  the  15  June  to  the 
15  July,  and  within  recent  years  attracted  an  average  of  17,000  head  of 
cattle,  5,000   horses   and  150,000  sheep.  Its  business  amounted  to  R.  2.000,000. 

The  total  business  done  at  the  fairs  held  throughout  the  Kirgiz  steppe 
borderland  exceeds  R.  15,000.000  per  annum. 

The  Kirgiz  steiipes  jiossessing  a  great  ainniint  nt  food  and  animal  pm- 
duce,  supply  not  only  the  demand  of  the  permanent  pojuilation  of  tiie 
nearest  mining  region  of  the  Transural,  but  also  of  more  distant  Russian 
centres  such  as  Kazfln,  Nizhni  Novgorod  and  Moscow.  The  Akmolinsk  Terri- 
tory bounded  by  the  most  populous  portions  of  the  Tobolsk  and  Orenburg 
governments,  since  the  time  of  its  organisation,  has  occupied  an  importani 
commercial  position  on  account  of  its  physical  and  orographical  conditinns. 
by  selling  animal  jiroducts  and  serving  as  a  medium  for  the  transit  of  tln'se 
goods  between  the  Kirgiz  steppe  regions  and  the  commercial  centres  of  ihe 
Empire.  The    Great   Siberian    main    line,  running   along  the  northern  part  of 


THE  KIRGIZ  STEPl'E  HOKDKIil.ANn.  167 

the  Akmolinsk  Territory  in  innximity  to  the  fronti'T  cif  tlio  Tobolsk  govern- 
ment and  thnuiirh  tlii>  Irtysh  basin,  has  still  further  inereased  the  importanoc 
id  the  re.iiiiin.  all'iirdins  new  facilities  for  the  export  of  Kirgiz  steppe  produe- 
tions.  The  following  data  based  on  the  vetei'inary  inspection  of  1897  clearly 
illustrate  the  great  prevalence  of  cattle-breeding  in  the  Kirgiz  steppes,  and 
the  extent  of  the  trade  in  animal  products  exported  to  the  interior  and 
European  markets. 

The  quantity  of  meat  and  id'  animal  products,  convoyed  during  1897 
through  Siberia  by  rail  and  water,  may  be  stated  as  follows:  .=587.069  puds  of 
fresh  meat,  99,181)  puds  of  mutton  and  goal's  meat,  753  puds  of  pork,  78.OT)p. 
of  fat,  56.x()42  puds  of  guts,  202  puds  of  feet,  8,211  p.  of  offal:  further,  untan- 
ned  horse  skins  2:^9.042,  cow  skins— 201,077.  camel  skins— 1:3,077.  sheep  and  goat 
skins— 2.:3S9.so.'>:  sheep's  wool  121..'5:i9  puds,  camel's  hair  l.').89-tpuds,  goat's  wool 
■-11  puds,  sup(>rior  ipiality  .5.52.5.  besides  horsehair  .31.570  puds  and  horns  940puds. 

The  greater  part  of  the  meal  was  conveyed  by  railway  and  distributed  iii 
the  following  way:  to  St.  Petersburg  134,185  puds,  to  Moscow  62,674  puds  and 
to  the  Perm  government  78.750  puds.  The  tat  was  forwarded  to  Kazan 
(71.520  puds),  guts  were  sent  by  rail  to  the  Samara  government  (275.aM  puds i 
and  to  Odessa  (1.53..525  puds),  horse  meat,  to  the  Perm  government  (81.130) 
to  Nizhni  Novgorod  (48.624),  to  Belostok  (;56,650)  and  to  Libava  (23,246):  neat 
skins  were  sent  to  the  Perm  government  (64,275)  to  Xizhni-Xovgorod  178.337, 
to  Vladimir  :345,792,  to  Revel  26.:330,  to  (Odessa  10,7a),  to  Warsaw  60,150  and 
to  the  New  Port  14,0(K). 

Tho  <|uantity  (d'  sheep's  wool  forwarded  to  Hiazi'in  reiircsented  .36,398  puds, 
to  Perm  22,062,  to  Tambov  14,089,  to  Kazan  13,.5(i2:  9.7(i9  puds  of  camel's  hair 
and  403  puds  of  goat's  wool  were  sent  to  Nizhni  Novgorod,  17,142  puds  of 
horsehair  were  conveyed  to  Revel,  4,8(MJ  puds  to  Nizhni  Novgorod,  and  3.276 
puds  to  Moscow. 

Durinir  the  same  jieriod  (1897).  17:i.()72  animals  were  driven  to  the  Tobolsk 
government  and  European  Russia,  comprising  10.4.55  horses.  28,868  cattle. 
132,676  sheep  and  goats  and  83  calves. 

The  Kirgiz  ste|)pe  borderland  is  bounded  on  the  east  and  partly  on  the 
south  by  Western  China,  and  serves  as  a  natural  transit  road  between  China 
and  the  Russian  Etnpire  carrying  on  trade  along  tho  extensive  land  frontier 
Passing  the  customs  at  Zaisan  Alkabck  and  Koto-Karagai.  trade  is  concen- 
trated chiefly  in  Chuguchak.  whence  the  Russian  traders  proceed  to  Urumclii. 
Shikho  Manas.  Guchi-n.  Karashar  and  Turfan.  Unsuffkient  means  of  com- 
munication in  the  south  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe  region,  together  with  the  ab- 
sence of  naviiration  by  the  Irtysh  to  Zaisan.  and  the  want  of  enterprise  hin- 
der the  further  development  of  trade  in  this  borderland.  The  navigation  on 
the  Irtysh  now  reaching  lake  Zaisan  Nora  and  continuing  further  aloni:  the 
black  Irtysh,  established  by  Baron  .\minov,  will  exercise  a  marked  effect  on 
the  commercial  relations  of  the  Russian  Empire  with  China,  and  bring  n<>w 
life  into  the  Kirgiz  steppe  borderland.  Posse.ssing  innumerable  natural  trea. 
sures,  this  region  offers  wide  prospects  for  enterjjrise  and  ca|iital.  Means 
of  communication  leading  south  from  the  (Ireat  Siberian  Railway  and  giving 
access  to  the  richest  mines  of  the  world,  coal  deposits  and  fertile  plains. 
are  greatly  wanted  now  that  navigation  already  exists  in  the  Irtysh  basin, 
for  the  exploitation  of  the  natural  wealth  of  the  region,  for  the  development 
of  trade  with  Western  China  and  Mongolia  and  to  promote  the  politica' 
fluence  of  the  Russian  Empire  in  Central  .\sia. 


m- 


16S  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIliEKIAX  liMLWAY. 


BIHLIUGJ^AIMIY. 


1)  Ilcscri|ition  nf  the  Kiririz-Cnssack  or  Kiraiz-Kaisi'ik  lloi'drs  and  sti'ii|K'.s.  I)y  Linsliin.  SI. 
Pliir.  1832.  2)  (li'oirraplrieal  and  statistical  materials  lor  Russia  collected  by  officers  of  tlie  Ge- 
neral Staff.  Siberian  Rirgriz  region,  by  Krasovskv.  St.  I'bg.  186^^.  3)  Volosts  and  centres  of  po[in- 
lation  1893.  Akiiiolinsk"  Terri'torv.  Pub).  centr.Stat.  Conini.  of  the  Mill,  of  the  Int.  St.  I'bir.  1893, 
Seiniiialiitinsk  Territory.  Publ.  Cent.  Stat.  Comm.  of  the  Min.  of  the  Int.  St.  Pbg.  1H!)5.  4)  Re- 
view of  tlie  Akniolinsk  Territory.  Su|iidement  to  Rejiorts  on  the  Akniolinsk  Territory  |iresentc(l 
to  the  Emperor  from  1895 — ISyS.  5)  Review  of  tlie  Semijiali'itinsk  Territory.  Sii|iplement  to  the 
Reports  on  the  Semipaliitinsk  Territory  from  lS.9ry  to  lS9s.  6)  Reports  on  the  condition  of  the 
Cossack  troops.  7)  Meinorandnni  of  the  West  Siberian  division  of  the  Russian  (ieographical  So- 
ciety. 8)  Report  by  State  Secretary  Kulomziu  presented  to  the  Emperor  after  his  visit  to  Siberia 
to  eiu|nire  into  the  emigration  movement.  St.  Pbir.  1896.  9)  Supplement  to  the  reports  of  the 
Minister  of  Agricnltnre  and  State  Domains  presented  to  the  Emperor  after  his  visit  to  Siberia  in 
1899.  St.  Pliff.  1896.  and  in  1893,  St.  Pbg-.  189'J. 


-^-^m 


The  Baraba  Region. 


Tlie  Baraba  region,  wrongly  called  Baralui  Steppe,  forms  part  of  the 
extensive  West  Siberian  plain  and  lies  between  the  Irtysh  and  Ob  basins. 

Occupying  part  of  the  Tara  and  Tiukalinsk  districts  in  the  Tobolsk  go- 
vernment, the  greater  portion  of  the  Kainsk  and  part  of  the  Tomsk  and  Bar- 
naul districts  in  the  Tomsk  government,  tlie  Baraba  stretclies  from  north  to 
south  between   51°  and  .53^  X.  lat. 

The  Great  Siberian  Railway  runs  almost  through  the  centre  of  the  Baraba  a 
distance  of  .578  versts,  between  the  rivers  Irtysh  and  Ob.  A  monotonous,  but 
original  landscape  accompanies  the  traveller  on  his  way  across  the  Baraba; 
greenish  plains  clad  with  coarse  reeds  and  sedge  grass,  covering  a  miry  and 
swampy  ground,  stretch  indefinitely  on  both  sides  of  the  railway  line.  This 
grass-covered  plain  is  marked  by  frequent  copses  formed  by  birch,  aspen. 
and  willow,  growing  on  flat  ridges  rising  above  the  level  of  the  swamp. 
These  copses  seem  to  be  ingeniously  planted  by  nature  herself,  intersected 
by  long  vistas  of  the  greenish  plain,  forming  a  background  to  the  monotony  oi 
small  lakes,  glancing  through  reeds  and  sedge  grass,  or  by  level  stretche.-- 
of  salt  marsh  with  a  peculiar  vegetation  and  surrounded  by  large  pieces  of 
waste  ground  and  peat  bogs.  This  monotonous  landscape  scarcely  gives  an 
exact  idea  of  this  vast  and  most  peculiar  region,  characterised  by  varie<l 
physical  conditions.  From  north  to  south,  the  Baraba  is  divided  into  three 
parts,  on  account  of  its  nature,  its  vegetation  and  its  geological  and  hydro- 
graphic  conditions:  the  northern  or  urman  section,  the  southern  or  steppe 
lake  section.  The  northern  or  urnuin  section  comprises  the  north-eastern 
parts  of  the  Tara  and  Kainsk  districts  and  is  known  under  the  collective 
name  of  urman:  its  surface  consists  of  swamps  liroken  by  elevated  spots  of 
land  clad  with  a  vegetation  of  mixed  trees,  and  also  sometimes  by  thick  fir 
forests.  Such  hydrographic  conditions  render  this  region  scarcely  tit  for  airri- 
culture  and  colonisation,  although  the  soil  is  most  fertile.  On  its  southern 
border,  the  urman  is  marked  by  isolated  tree  grovesalternating  with  meadows  I 
covered  with  rich  grass. 


? 


THK  liAKAMA  UKUIOX.  lUil 

Till'  AcadiMiiician  MiddiMulorf  wlin  visited  liie  urman  sa.\s  that  In-  m-ver 
e\|M'ripd  til  find  such  a  veiretation  at  5(5'  N.  lat.:  ,the  ^rass  i^rowina:  on  tiie 
banks  of  the  tint  attains  a  heiirht  of  3  feet.  At  the  button)  of  steep  ravines 
there  is  a  thiek  overu;ro\vth  of  spear-srass  (Festuca),  which  may  be  tiiken  for 
reeds.  When  aftt>r  a  low  meadow  you  come  to  a  space  of  steppe  land,  you 
are  surrountled  Ity  a  luxurious  herbaceous  vegetation  of  meadowsweet,  hare 
lettuce  etc.  risin-r  to  a  height  of  2'  2  teet:  wild  peas  and  vetches  hinder  your 
advance.  Above  this  thick  and  verdant  cover,  tower  the  deep  red,  pink  and 
:iow  heads  of  flnwering  herbs  and  nettles  some  of  which  have  a  height 
^1  ■-'  feet". 

The  Russian  settlements  are  established  chiefly  on  the  southern  border 
ol  the  urman  on  ridges  bounding  the  rivers:  the  density  of  the  population 
diminishes  towards  the  north,  where  occur  but  few  inhabited  points  and  soli- 
tary huts,  .\mong  the  Russian  population,  are  the  settlements  of  the  Baraba 
Tatars,  who  are  the  oldest  inhabitants  of  the  country. 

The  northern  urman,  containing  an  immense  quantity  of  moisture  and 
gradually  fallini:  from  the  north-east  to  the  south-west,  gives  rise  to  rivers 
fecijing  the  Irtysii  and  flowing  tiirough  the  centre  of  the  Baralm.  chief  among 
which  are  tiie  nm  and  its  tributaries,  the  Uya,  Tara,  Kargata,  Chulym.  Be- 
sides swamps  and  a  few  streams,  the  urman  contains  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  lakes  scattered  all  over  its  surface. 

The  central  birch  or  river  and  lake  section  covers  an  area  of  hundreds 
of  versts.  stretching  across  the  Baraba  from  west  to  east.  It  comprises  the 
most  animated  centres  of  this  region,  the  town  of  Kainsk  and  the  most  po- 
pubnis  peasant  settlements,  and  is  traversed  By  the  famous  Siberian  highway 
and  the  Great  Siberian  main  line.  .Vs  compared  with  the  urman.  this  section 
is  less  wooded  and  has  no  fir  trees,  which  here  disappear  altogether.  The  fo- 
liage trees  are  represented  only  by  birch,  aspen,  and  two  kinds  of  willow. 
The  level  character  of  the  sm-face  may  be  seen  i)y  its  relief:  the  railway  line 
which  near  the  station  of  Shiidrinskaya  (S69v.  from  Cheliabinsk)  runs  at  an  alti- 
tude of  122.1  sazhens  near  the  station  l)uplenskaya  (1.262  v.  from  Cheliabinsk) 
has  an  elevation  of  146.8  sazhens.  This  ascent  from  west  to  east,  393  versts 
in  length,  shews  a  difference  of  only  24.7  sazhens.  or  an  average  grade  of 
3  versiioks  to  the  verst. 

The  rivers  in  this  region  take  their  rise  in  tlie  urnuin  and  in  the  swamps 
on  its  southern  border.  The  river  Oin  is  the  most  im|iortant  in  the  country. 
and  on  its  banks  from  the  town  of  Kainsk  downwards  are  concentrated  the 
greater  number  of  inhabitants  throughout  the  Barabii.  The  rivers  Kozhtirla. 
Karapus.  Kargat.  Chulym  and  others  draining  into  the  landlocked  lakes  of 
Sary-Kiil.  Chany.  Sartlan  surrounded  liy  low  and  muddy  shores,  slowly  roll 
their  yellow  waves  so  characteristic  of  the  swami>y  waters  of  the  Barab;'i 
They  are  included  in  small  and  large  basins,  the  latter  sometimes  having 
an  area  of  some  hundred  of  square  versts,  as  for  example  the  lakes  Chany. 
Ibinskoe.  Sartlan.  Kargat  and  others.  None  of  the  lakes  in  this  region  and 
throughoiii  the  Baraba.  containing  several  hundred  of  them,  are  fed  by  un- 
derground springs  or  l)y  tributary  streams  but.  with  the  exception  of  the 
lakes  Lbinskoe.  Sartlan.  Chany.  Tandovo.  they  are  all  formed  l)y  the  rainfall. 
The  stagnant  lakes  can  easily  be  recognised  by  their  sloping  shores,  encir- 
cled by  a  broad  band  of  reed  and  sedge  grass,  and  with  |)ieces  of  land  at 
times  under  water.  The  depth  of  these  lakes  is  not  great,  and  but  rarely  at- 
tains two  ami  a  half  sazhens  (I'binskoe,  Sartlan). 


170  CnOE  TO  THE  GREAT  SinERIAX   RAIIAVAY. 

For  this  reason  many  of  them  dry  U|i  in  sumiiifr,  ami  tivc/c  to  tlie  bot- 
tom in  winter.  The  same  ]ihonomonon.  consisting  in  tlio  periodical  disappe- 
arance and  reappearance  of  the  lalces,  olisei-ved  in  the  Ishini  steppe  in  the 
West  Siberian  ]ilain,  and  in  the  Kirgiz  stejipes,  is  repeated  iiere.  Tlie  jew 
shores  are  fringed  with  reeds  and  grass,  which  on  witliering  fill  up  the  siial- 
iow  lake,  and  give  a  yellow  colour  to  the  water;  the  shores  are  also  covered 
with  the  putrified  remains  of  vegetation  exhaling  a  heavy  sm(dl  nf  suliihii- 
retted  hydrogen. 

Among  th(>  largest  lakes  on  this  side  of  the  Barali;i  may  be  mentioned: 
the  lakes  Chany,  lying  on  the  frontier  of  the  Ivainsk  and  the  Barnaul  di- 
stricts (2,876  square  versts),  Ubinskoe  (578  square  versts)  and  Sartlan  (288 
square  versts).  Besides  the  greater  number  of  fresh  water  lakes,  there  are 
some  containing  brackish,  bitter  and  sour  water. 

The  dried  up  lakes  give  place  to  saltmarshes  whicli.  in  tiiis  region,  are 
of  the  same  nature  as  those  of  the  Ishim  and  Irtysh  ste|ipes. 

The  soil  of  this  part  of  the  steppe  has  a  great  reputation,  especially  that 
which  consists  of  black  and  dark  earth,  covering  the  ridges  and  mounds. 
Clay-marl  is  the  predominating  subsoil  on  hills  and  slopes. 

The  southern  jiart  of  the  Baraba  extending  southwards  from  55^  X.  lat., 
loses  its  arboreal  vegetation  and  gradually  passes  into  the  treeless  Kulim- 
dinsk  steppe,  comprising  the  southern  side  of  the  Barnaul  district.  The  water 
system  of  this  region  is  represented  exclusively  by  lakes.  Besides  tbc 
large  lake  Chany,  there  are  about  20()  lakes  which  slowly  but  continually 
diminish  in  size.  They  contain  either  fresh  or  brackish  water.  This  and  the 
northern  portion  of  the  Baraba  are  higher  than  the  central  jiart. 

The  fauna  here  does  not  differ  from  that  of  the  neighbouring  districts  nf 
the  Tobolsk  government.  The  urmans  are  inhabited  by  bear,  glutton,  wolf, 
fox,  elk,  and  squirrel.  Further  south,  there  are  striped  squirrels,  bad.gers. 
hares,  ermines  and  fltchets.  At  times  the  lakes  and  basins  are  enlivened 
by  a  quantity  of  moor  fowl. 

The  Baraba  region  is  particularly  famous  for  the  innumerable  clouds  of 
gnats  and  mosijuitos  which  so  torture  the  inhabitants  that  in  summer  and 
spring  they  do  not  venture  out  of  doors  without  covering  the  face  with 
a  net. 

The  colonisation  of  the  Barahii  by  Russian  peasants  began  only  in  the 
middle  of  the  XVIII  century:  before  this  time,  the  last  descendants  of  the 
dismembered  Kuchum  Horde,  split  up  into  smaller  tribes  called  Baraba,  Tu- 
niikh,  Choi,  Liubei,  wandered  about  this  region.  The  Russians  gave  the  name 
of  Barabfntsy  to  the  native  half-nomad  Tatars,  deriving  it  from  that  of  the 
Baraba  tribe,  from  which  the  country  also  took  its  name. 

It  yet  remains  unknown  who  lived  in  the  Baraba  before  it  was  occupieil 
by  the  Tatars.  That  it  was  formerly  inhabited  by  some  tribes  is  evidenci'd 
by  the  tumuli  still  existing  and  the  small  Chud  towns  occurring  in  the  Ba- 
raba. having  now  the  appearance  of  grass  and  bu.sh-covered  mounds.  At  pre- 
sent the  Tatar  population  of  the  Baraba  amounts  to  4,50ii:  they  belong  to  the 
Turkish  race  with  an  admixture  of  the  Mongol.  The  Barabfntsy  are  of  ave- 
rage size,  have  a  healthy  constitution  and  a  tawny  complexion;  they  lead  a 
settled  life  apart  from  the  Russian  peasants. 

Every  volost  has  its  chief.  The  villages  which  form  a  volost  stand  ai 
a  great  distance  from  each  other  and  cimtain  only  from  10—12  houses  each. 
In  former  times,  the  Barabfntsy  were  shainanists  hut.  towards  the  end  i>f  tho 


THE  BAKAHA  HKGION.  I  /  1 

XVIII  century,  whon  thi^y  l»i'ciinii'  subject  to  tlic  Russian  diiniinion.  they  gra- 
dually went  over  to  Molianiniedanism.  Th(>  eeonoinie  condition  of  the  ahori- 
gencs  whii  have  been  inished  into  the  northern  urnuins  by  the  Russians  is 
not  over  brilliant;  they  may  even  be  considered  as  poor. 

The  first  settlers  in  the  Baraba  were  post-drivers  who  in  1775  were 
transported  by  the  Siberian  governor  Miatlev  from  the  settlements  of  the 
TolxJlsk  government  in  order  to  promote  the  means  of  communication. 
Further,  during  the  reign  of  Catherine  II.  a  number  of  dissenters  from  Poland 
were  settled  in  the  Baraba.  NN'ith  a  view  to  reinforce  Russian  colonisation, 
along  the  Siberian  post  road,  which  extended  for  a  distance  of  (500  versts. 
Chicherin  the  former  Governor  of  Siberia  added  convicts  sentenced  to  impri- 
sonment for  different  crimes  and  serfs  exiled  to  Siberia  by  their  masters  for 
immorality  or  disobedience,  to  the  contingent  of  drivers  and  peasants.  This 
was  the  reason  that  in  the  last  century,  murder  and  i'()l)l)(>ry  were  here  of 
every  day  occurrence,  which  obliged  the  governor  Chicherin,  who  was  the 
founder  of  this  colony,  to  lay  down  a  rule  according  to  which  the  death  of 
an  exile  settler  was  not  imputed  as  a  crime  to  the  Tatars  of  Baraba.  Since 
then,  the  population  of  the  Baraba  has  been  considerably  increased,  mainly 
by  means  of  free  colonisation  by  emigrants,  attracted  to  this  country  by  the 
fertility  of  the  soil.  According  to  the  census  of  1897,  the  jjopulation  of  the 
Baraba  within  the  confines  of  the  Kainsk  district  is  given  as  186,561,  inclusive 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Kainsk,  amounting  to  5,.534. 

As  a  consequence  of  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  agriculture  is  the  funda- 
mental resource  of  the  population  in  this  country:  the  regulation  grant  of 
land  is  15  desiatins  to  every  man.  and  the  fallow  laud  system  is  generall> 
adopted. Freshly  ploughed  fields  with  the  best  soil  are  sown  5—7  times  with 
different  kinds  of  grain;  those  which  are  endowed  with  less  fertility  may 
be  sown  3  or  4  times;  lands  cultivated  before  yield  the  same  number  of  crops 
or  sometimes  a  little  less.  The  fields  with  a  very  good  soil  lie  waste  for  a 
period  of  10 — 15  years;  while  the  period  for  others  varies  from  20—25    years. 

In  wooded  regions,  winter  rye  is  chiefly  cultivated,  whereas  wheat  is  sown 
in  the  plains.  The  alternation  of  crops-wheat,  yaritsa.  barley,  oats  and  winter 
rj'e-varies  in  accordance  with  local  conditions.  In  the  fertility  of  its  soil,  the 
Baraba  recalls  the  Ishim  steppe. 

Rich  pastures  and  hayfields  present  a  wide  prcjspect  for  t lie  development 
of  cattle  breedin.g.  As  comi)ared  with  the  neighboiu-ing  districts  of  the  West- 
.Siberian  plain,  the  peasants  of  the  Baraba  possess  a  greater  number  of  cattle 
and  sheep. 

Horse  breeding  is  not  extensively  i)ractised  in  the  Baraba  country,  but 
deserves  to  be  mentioned  on  account  of  the  first  rate  selection  practised  and 
the  care  bestowed  on  the  horses.  They  are  represented  by  the  following 
stocks;  the  Barabinka,  to  which  belongs  the  ordinary  horse,  the  Kulundinka 
emi)loyed  for  labour,  the  Sargiitka,  from  the  village  of  Sargiit,  a  strong 
working  horse  and  the  Smiafka  a  mixture  of  the  two  first  bloods,  with  a 
slow  pace  and  dearer  than  the  others.  The  horses  are  sold  at  village   fairs. 

As  a  consequence  of  the  construction  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway 
across  the  Baraba,  the  (piestion  of  a  more  extensive  colonisation  by  peasant 
settlers  was  raised,  and  a  series  of  works  for  draining  this  vast  but  swampy 
country,  which  could  be  well  adapted  for  cultivation  and  colonisation,  was 
undertaken.  According  to  some  appoximate  data,  the  total  area  which  ought 
to  be  drained  exceeds  4,000,000  desiatins.  The  drainage  of  the    swamps   was 


172 


Grinr:  to  thi:  ukkat  suiEuiAN  uaii.way. 


be.!<un  in  tlip  sumiiKM'  nf  ISi)"):  the  cloarin.ii'  of  tlio  river  Kargat  was  under- 
taken in  1896.  By  18!iU.  drainage  worlcs  liad  been  instituted  in  74  sections, 
comjirising  320,000  desiatins  and  a  population  of  15.(HK):  eanals  412  versts  in 
length  have  been  dug,  and  127  versts  of  them  cleared.  The  sands  bord(>ring 
on  the  railway  line,  which  were  considered  unfit  for  colonisation,  are  now 
being  willingly  occupied  by  settlers.  The  drainage  conducted  farther  north, 
within  the  liasins  of  the  rivers  Kargat  and  Om,  will  open  new  fields  for 
colonisation.  The  sujiervision  of  the  hydrotechnical  works  being  made  for  the 
benefit  of  the  peasants  is  entrusted  to  tlie  Incal  administration  and  to  the 
population  itself. 

The  drainage  of  tlie  Haraba.  which  is  bt'ing  carried  out  according  to  the 
directions  of  the  rommittee  for  the  ("unstruction  of  the  Siberian  Railway,  is 
done  with  a  view  to  enlarge  the  culti\al)le  area,  to  improve  the  growth  of 
tree  plantations,  td  render  the  country  nuii-e  healthy  and  even  to  modify  the 
clitnate. 

The  Great  Siberian  Railway  but  recently  opened  to  traffic,  has  already  jiro- 
duced  an  enlivening  eflect  upon  the  jiroductive  capacity  of  the  Baraba  country. 
Almost  all  the  railway  stations  situated  Avithin  its  confines  have  become 
centres  for  the  export  of  grain  and  other  agricultural  products  to  the  interior 
markets  dl'  tlie  Empire.  The  increase  of  pojiulation  by  colonisation  and  the 
imiirovement  in  the  systems  of  agriculture  will  soon  give  to  the  Baraba  the 
same  reputation  as  the  gi-ana.ry  of  Silieria,  which  has  been  liitherte  enjoyed 
by  the  Ishim  steppes  id'  the  West  Siberian  plain. 


BlBi.Ii»(iR.\IMlY. 

SupiiliMiiont  to  vol.  Xl.V  of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Academy  of  Science  The  Baraba.  by  A.  T. 
.Midciidclorf.  St.  Pbg.  1871.  l'ictiires(|ne  Russia  edited  by  P.  P.  Semionov.  vol.  XI  Western  Siberia. 
Baraba  by  G.  N  I'olanin.  St.  Pbjr.  1884.  Statistics  of  tiie  Russian  Empire  XXXll.  Vi'ilosts  and 
centres  of  [mpulatiou  lS!t:),  Tomsk  government  pnbl.  by  the  Central  Statistical  Committee  of  the 
Min.  oi'  bit.  St.  Pbff.  Peasant  land  tenure  and  husbandry  in  the  Tiibi'ilsli  and  Tomsk  governments. 
Pnbl.  by  the  .Min.  ol  State  Dom.  St  Pbg.  18SI4.  Ileological  and  hydrograpliical  explorations  of  the 
Barabi'i  'by  (i.  0.   Ossovsk\.   Pulil.   b.v  the  Statist.   Coiniuit.  of  Tomsk.   Tomsk    ISitf). 


v.-'N. 


''^        -<;: 


I 

"i 


M/: 


m 


liiftlli 


The  West  Siberian  Railway. 


Direction  of  the  line.  Cost  of  construction.  Description  of  the  stations  and  countries 
traversed:  Cherniivslcaya. — Chumljik.-  -Shumikha. — Mishlcino. — Yurgamysh. — (Frontier  of 
Siberia). — Zyri^nka. — Town  of  Kurgan. — Tob61  basin. — Vargachi. — Lebi^zhya.  —  Maku- 
shino. — Petukhdvo. — Mamliiitka. — Town  of  Petropavlovsk. — Ishim  basin. — Steppe  highways, 
caravan  routes. — Tokushi. — Medv^zhie. — Isil-Kiil. — Kochubeevo.  Maridnovka. — The  Omsk 
military  post. — Town  of  Omsk. -Irtysh  basin. — Navigation  in  West  Siberia. ----Kornilovka.- 
Kaldshinskaya. — Shidrinskaya. — Tatdrskaya. — Karachi. — Tebisskaya. — Town  of  Kiinsk. 
Kozhurla. — Ubinskaya.  —  Kargit. —  Chulym. — Dupl^nskaya. — Kcchenivo. — Chik.  —  Krivo- 
shch^kovo. — Ob    basin. — Navigation    on   the    Ob. — The    Ob-Yenis^i  canal. — The  northern 

searoute. 


-M- 


HI-;  West  Sil)('i'i:ui  Kailwa.w  wiiirli  rcpn^sonts  the  iivM  liiil(  of 
the  Great  Siberian  main  lino,  oomnuMico.s  mI  the  eastern  Iit- 
minus  nf  the  Samara-Zlatoiist  Railway. 

Runnin?r  eastwards,  it  I'olluws  the  parallel  of  .j.")  X  lat. 
almost  thnniirlioiit  its  entire  omn'se  tn  the  crossini:  of  the  <»1), 
swerving  therefrom  sliiclitly  only  to  approach  towns,  to  fimi 
an  easy  passage  across  large  rivers  or  to  avoid  obstacles, 
mainly  lakes.  The  surveys  lor  the  line  were  conducted  by  Engineer  K.  I. 
Mikhailovsky.  manager  of  the  works  on  the  Zlatoiist-Cheliabinsk  line;  the 
whole  of  the  West  Siberian  Railway  was  <'onstructed  by  him. 

The  total  length  of  the  line,  froni  thi'  platform  of  the  Cheliiibinsk  station 
to  the  extreme  eastern  iiier  of  the  bridge  across  the  Ub,  is  1,828.49  versts, 
with  the  addition  of  a  branch  line  to  the  landing  place  on  the  Irtysh  of 
2..T  versts. 

The  total  cost  of  the  line  was  estimated  at  R.  47,3()9,824  or  R.  .3.5,832  i>er 
verst.  In  tact,  the  construction  of  the  line  came  to  R.  4tj,  124.698  or  R.  .34,78(1 19 
kop.  per  verst. 

From  the  station  of  Cheliiibinsk,  the  line  runs  parallel  to  the  boundaries 
of  the  Shadrinsk  (Perm  .government)  and  the  Cheliiibinsk  districts  (Orenburg 
government)  for  a  distance  of  200  versts,  until  it  reaches  the  confines  of 
Siberia  in  the  Tobolsk  Kovernment. 


174 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


Tlio  total  miiulior  of  stations  on  th(>  W'l^st  Siberian  l\all\vay  is  84. 

1)  Chierniavskaya.  V  class  (41  v.  from  Cheliabinsk).  Tho  scttknnont 
Konashi'vskaia  (pop.  8()0)  is  situated  within  one  verst  nf  the  station,  in  a 
level  and  swampy  district  covered  with  young  birch  wood;  the  water  is  not 
good  in  this  locality.  The  agricultural  district  connected  with  the  station 
comiirisos  a  population  of  n.iKH),  and  has  an  annual  export  of  wheat  amoun- 
ting to  (iO.tKW  puds. 

At  the  7ti-th  verst,  the  line  crosses  the  river  (  hiiinliiik  b.\  a  bridge  ha- 
ving an  opening  of  10  sazhens. 

2)  Chumli^k.  V  class  (82  v.).  The  village  of  Chumliak  (pop.  2,0(J0)  stands 
12  versts  ti'oui  the  station.  There  are  about  34  settlements  within  the  range  ot 
the  station  Avith  a  poinilation  of  8o,oi)0.  About  OtXXDiK)  puds  of  goods  are  for- 
warded from  here  every  year  by  freight  trains;  in  1898,399,244  puds  of  grain 
were  sent  to  the  western  ports, of  Russia.  Running  through  the  deep  ravines 
of  Tukman,  the  line  crosses  the'  river  I\,ami'nka,  at  the  llo-th  verst,  l)y  a 
bridge  of  15  sazhens. 

8)  Shumihka.  IV  class.  Buffet.  (116  v.).  Since  the  oi)ening  of  the  traf- 
fic, a  settb'inent  containing  40  houses  has  been  established  for  trading  ])ur- 
poses  within  a  vrrst  and  a  half  of  the  station. 


Station  of  Shuniikha. 


At  the  station  there  is  a  school  und<'r  the  nianageineni  of  ilic  .Ministry 
of  Public  Education  with  a  wooden  liuilding.  It  has  one  class  for  boys  and 
girls.  Water  is  obtained  from  wells,  is  brackish  and  contains  an  adinixture 
of  lime.  Artesian  wells  are  b(>ing  dug.  Tho  large  village  of  Ptfchie  (pop.  8,(H)0) 
is  situated  14  versts  from  the  station;  there  are  about  ')">  settlements  and 
villau-es    within    llie    range    of   the    station,  with    a  population   of  40,000.  The 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  K.Ml.W  AY.  175 

rich  agricultural  region  bordering  on  the  railway  line  exports  annually  over 
2.(XtO.()Ol  puds  of  goods,  mainly  grain,  to  the  western  ports  of  Russia:  while 
tallow  tlO.OOO  i)uds>.  meat  and  hemp  are  forwarded  to  the  interior  markets. 
Private  forwarders  of  goods  have  their  own  warehouses  in  the  settlement 
near  the  station.  Grain  and  other  products  amounting  to  2.010.425  puds  were 
conveyed  from  this  station  in  isits  (12).4'51  puds  of  rye,  1.830.030  puds  of 
wheat.  42.tJT3  puds  of  oats,  525  puds  of  peas,  3.830  puds  of  wheat  nieal  and 
2.257  puds  of  rye  meal,  30J  puds  of  l)ran,  18,497  puds  of  hcmpseed  and 
linseed  I. 

Mishkino.  V  class  (155  v.).  The  country  is  level  and  dry.  Scattered 
with  birch  copses.  Near  the  station  are  situated  the  settlement  of  Mishkino 
(pop.  l,Orti)  and  a  small  settlement  established  alnng  the  railway  line  since 
the  opening  of  traffic. 

The  population  is  occupied  with  trade  and  industry.  Fifteen  settlements 
with  a  population  of  20,0CK1.  and  the  district  town  of  Shiidrinsk  with  a  popu- 
lation of  15.96S  (Perm  government)  are  situated  within  the  sphere  of  action  of 
the  station  There  are  also  the  steam  flour  mills  of  Hntov  and  Treukhov,  yiel- 
ding annually  about  1,000  waggons  of  grain.  The  4uantiiy  (d' grain  transported 
annually  from  this  station  by  freight  trains  direct  to  the  western  ports 
of  Russia  exceeds  2,500,000  puds.  In  1S9S.  the  total  trans|)ort  of  grain  etc. 
amounted  to  2.12.3,304  puds  (53,(564  puds  nf  rye,  1,872,833  i)uds  of  wheat. 
34.t)2t)  i>nds  of  oats,  949  puds  of  i)eas.  180.244  puds  of  wheat  flour.  12.514  puds 
of  rye  flour,  8,272  puds  of  bran,  49,943  puds  of  hempseed  and  linseedt.  Thi.s 
station  also  serves  as  a  centre  for  Ihe  export  of  meat  and  other  aninuil  pro- 
duce to  the  interior  markets  of  the  Enii>ire.  The  goods  received  at  this  sta- 
tion supply  mainly  the  town  of  Shadrinsk:  the  part  coming  from  diflerent 
points  of  Silieria  is  sent  to  tiie  Irbit  fair. 

b)  Yurgamysh.  V  class  (188  v.).  A  settlement  inhaiiited  by  corn  mer- 
chants is  being  established  near  the  station.  The  nearest  village  called  Be- 
loc  is  at  a  distance  of  5  versts  (i)op.  1,000).  Thei-e  are  eight  settlements 
with  a 'population  of  7,000  within  the  range  of  the  station,  as  well  as  the 
distillery  of  Shmuilo  an<l  the  steam  mill  of  liin.  Ruttei-  manufactories  are 
established  in  the  settlements  nf  Kipely.  Karasinskne  and  Kislianskoe  produ- 
cing about  2.000  puds  of  cream  butter  annually.  From  this  point  also  700,000 
to  900,000  puds  of  wheat,  are  annually  conveyed  to  the  western  markets  of 
the  Empire.  The  total  amount  of  grain  exported  in  1898,  was  838,255  puds. 

The  railway  line,  deviating  slightly  northwards,  at  the  200  verst  enters 
the  Kurgan  district  in  the  Tobolsk  government,  which  is  within  the  limit 
of  Siberia. 

ti)  Zyri4nka.  V  class  (205  v.).  The  settlement  of  the  same  name 
(pop.  100)  and  the  village  of  Logoi'ishka,  containing  the  molasses  manufactories 
of  Balakshin.  lie  at  a  distance  of  6  versts  from  the  station.  Near  at  hand  is 
a  forest  belonging  to  the  State  which  supplies  the  railway  with  timber  and 
fuel.  Within  the  range  of  the  station,  are  six  settlements  with  a  population 
of  4.0o;i.  exporting  annuall.\-  over  200,000  puds  of  grain  to  the  west.  In  1S98. 
the  quantity  of  grain  despatched  was  22-J,290  puds. 

7)  Kurg-an.  Ill  class.  Buffet  (241  v.).  Is  situated  within  a  verst  and  a 
half  from  the  district  town  of  Kurgan  in  the  Tobolsk  government. 

Kurgan,  which  is  the  first  Siberian  town  on  the  western  end  of  theCreat 
Siberian  main  line,  stands  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Tobol  (pop.  li»,.579. 
5,.303  males,  5.276  females), (55'  26'  X.  lat.,  35'  blW  E.  long.).   On  the  site   of 


176 


GUIDE  TO  Ttre  GREAT  SinKKIAN  RAILWAY. 


the  present  town  originally  stood  the  village  of  Tsart^vo  Gorodishche  orTsarev-| 
Kurgan,  so  called  on  account  of  its  position  near  an  earthen  mound  (kurgan),  [ 
having  a  circumference  of  80  sazhens  and  a  height  of  nearly  4  sazhens,  and 
surrounded  by  a  ditch  and  rampart.  The  date  of  the  creation  of  the  town  is 
unknown;  some  refer  the  event  to  1663,  others,  as  tor  example  Hagemeister,  to 
1596.  A  legend  attached  to  this  place  says  that,  at  a  remote  date,  a  wealthy. 
Tatar  Khan  lived  here  on  the  high  hank  of  the  Tnbol,  and  erected  this  earth- 


station  of  Kurgan. 

en  mound  over  the  grave  of  his  beautiful  daughter.  Hord-hunters  fre- 
'luently  bored  this  barrow  in  search  of  the  treasures  which  adorned  the 
wealthy  beauty,  but  the  Khan's  daughter  unable  to  bear  this  desecration  to 
her  grave,  one  day  fled  on  a  silver-bound  chariot  drawn  by  white  steeds, 
and  disappeared  in  the  waters  of  the  neighboiu'ing  lake  Chuklom.  Another 
tradition  tells  how  the  tumulus  was  the  halting  place  of  a  Tatar  Prince, 
vanquished  by  the  Siberian  Khan  Kuchum.  The  last  version  is  confirmed  by 
the  fact  that  mounds  of  the  same  character  surrounded  by  ditches  and  earthen 
walls,  formerly  representing  a  kind  of  entrenched  camp,  are  found  on 
the  banks  of  many  rivers  in  the  Ob  basin  with  some  tale  about  Tatar  en- 
campments always  attached  to  them.  Many  of  these  tumuli,  stretchin.g  along 
the  Irtysh,  are  distinguished  by  historical  events  of  the  time  of  Yermak.  The 
question  as  to  the  origin  of  the  fortified  jioints,  whether  created  under  the 
influence  of  the  Tatar  dominion  or  found  there  by  the  Tatars  as  relics  of  an- 
iither  race,  is  interesting  not  only  for  history  in  general,  as  determining 
the  part  the  East  played  in  the  great  movement  of  nations  from  Asia  to 
Europe,  but  it  remains  till  now  unsolved  by  science.  In  course  of  time, 
the  village  of  Kurgan  was  transformed  into  a  fortress,  and  furnished  the 
base  for  opposing  the  Kalmyk  and  Kir'giz-Kaisak  invasions,  \\'hen  the  boun- 
dary line  was  traced  more  to  the  south,  it  lost  its  significance  as  a  fortress, 


TKi:  WKST  SIHKIilW  liAII.WAY. 


177 


.nd  liecaiiif  iiuaiii  a  siniiile  vilUifie.  At  the  timo  of  the  Pugachov  revolt. 
177.!— 1774,  it  joined  the  neighbouring  viUages.  which  now  represent  centres 
nf  iioimlation  in  tiie  Ivurgan,  Yalutorovslv  and  Ishim  districts,  in  the  mutiny 
;  the  Bashkirs  and  Yaitsk  Cossacks,  and  in  the  invasion  of  Siberia.  Since 
'.he  organisation  of  the  Tobolsk  jirovince  in  1782,  the  village  has  been  ti-ans- 
fornied  into  a  district  town. 

The  following  Dekabrists.  exiled  to  Siberia  by  Imiierial  manifest  on  the 
13  .hily  1S20,  lived  in  Kurgan  until  the  year  1845:  Xaryshkin.  Lorer,  Xazimov. 
Baron  Rosen.  Svistunov.  Kinchelliecker.  Povalo-Shveikovsky.  Vogt.  Prince 
Shchepin-Rostovsky.  .Vmong  them.  Vogt  who  died  in  IS!)2  and  Povalo- 
Shveikovsky  in  184.5  are  buried  in  Kurgan. 

Siberia  was  first  visited  by  an  Imperial  personage  in  the  year  18.37.  The 
late  Tsar-Liberator  .Vlexander  il.  then  Heir  apparent  to  the  throne,  having  vi- 
sited the  towns  of  Tinmen.  Tobolsk.  Yalutorovsk.  arrived  at  Kurgan  in  the 
beginning  of  July,  attended  bu  Adjutant-tieneral  Kavelin,  his  |)receptor.  the 
famous  poet  Zhuicovsky.  the  statistician  and  geographer  K.  1.  Arseniev,  his 
personal  adjutants  Yurievich  and  Xazimov,  court-surgeon  Yenokhin  and  en- 
signs Patkul  and  .Vdlerberg. 

An  exhibition  of  agricultural  and  domestic  industries  organised  in  Kurgan 
in  18115.  and  visited  by  the  ^Mini.ster  of  State  Domains  Yermolov  and  the  Mi- 
nister of  Ways  of  Communication  Prince  Khilkov,  was  an  event  which  is 
worth  mentioning  in  the  history  of  the  town.  During  the  exhibition,  from  the 
1  August  to  the  1  October,  a  .special  gazette  was  published  thereby  the  To- 
bolsk agronomist  Mr.  Skalozub. 

The  river  Toboi,  on  which  the  town  is  situated  is  navigable  in  its  lower 
n-aches:  witiiin  the  confines  of  the  Kurgan  district,  it  is  navigal)le  only  at 
high  water  time  for  small  vessels,  on  account  of  its  sinuous  bed  and  vari- 
al)le  channel.  For  this  reason  the  conveyance  of  goods  is  insignificant  on 
the  upper  part  of  the  Tobol.  This  however  will  change  as  soon  as   the  navi- 


View  of  the  town  of  Kurgin. 

gation  shall  be  improved  and  the  channel  cleared,  as  the  river  flows  through 
the  most  fertile  parts  of  the  Y'alutonJvsk  and  Kurgan  districts,  which  stand 
in  need  of  cheap  transport  for  their  products  to  the  Siberian  main  line. 

The  town  is  not  very  populous.  Stretching  along  the  level  and  grassy 
bank  of  the  Tobol.  it  produces  an  agreable  impression  by  its  external  appearan- 
ce. It  contains  5  stone  orthodox  churches,  and  among  the  town  buildings 
(1,150  houses)  there  are  many  fine  structures. 


178  OflDK  TO  THIC  GREAT  .SlIiKKIAN    HAILWAY. 


I 


Tho  oducational  insliiiitinus  are:  a  district  school,  a  pioiiarntory  gymna- 
sium for  girls,  three  iiuinici[)al  schools,  a  parish  school,  a  third  class  elemen- 
tary school  for  boys,  supported  out  of  the  fund  of  the  Relief  Society  for 
Scholars.  The  charitable  institutions  are:  the  Nicholas  Children's  Home,  found- 
ed in  commemoration  of  the  I-]mperor  Nicholas  Us  visit  to  Siberia  as  Heir 
Apparent  to  the  throne;  the  Vladimir  Poorhouse  created  in  commemoration 
of  the  Grand  Duke  Vladimir  Al(>xandrovichs  visit  to  Silieria  in  ISOS.  Among 
the  charitable  Societies  operating  in  Kurgiin,  there  are:  the  Ladies  Pati-onage 
Commitee,  founded  in  1892,  and  the  Society  for  the  Care  of  Schoolchildren 
in  Kurgan,  a  nightshelter,  the  Town  Hospital,  the  best  in  the  government. 
Since  June  1897,  a  branch  of  the  West  Siberian  Society  of  Agriculture  has 
been  opened  in  Kurgan,  publishing  periodically  its  transactions  regarding  the 
agricultural  conditions  of  the  country.  .V  (lei)ot  of  agricultural  machinery  has 
been  added  to  it. 

The  town  contains  a  pultlicand  a  free  lil)rary  for  the  lower  class.  There 
is  a  store  of  agricultural  tools,  machinery  etc.  organised  by    the  Ministry  of 
Agriculture  and  State  Domains.    There  are  two  private  printing  offices.  Fur- 
ther, there  are  a  public  club  and  two  hotels  with   rooms    from  R.  1  to  R.  2  a -<i 
day.  Kurgan,  on  account  of  its  industries,  holds  an  imjiortant  jilace  not  alone  ■ 
in  the  Tobolsk  government  but  throughout  Siberia.  It  is    also    the   centre   of' 
an  extensive  trade  in  agricultural  and  animal  products.   The   town    factories 
and  works  yield  an  annual  revenue  of  R.  1,8{)(),(100.  The  most  im|)ortant  among 
them  are:  a  distillery,  a  brewery,  a  tallow  Ijoilery,  a  wheat  flour  mill    belon- 
ging to  Smolin  and  Poklevsky  Kozell. 

Trade  is  particulary  lively  during  fair  time,  four  fairs  l)eing  held  annu- 
ally: the  Alexis  fair  from  5  to  18  March,  the  Tikhon  fair  from  10  to  17  .June, 
the  Demetrius  fair  from  18  to  24  October,  thi.>  Christmas  fair  from  14  to  24  De- 
cember. The  commercial  operations  transacted  at  the  fairs  amount  to  R.  4.<)(Ki.t«X) 
per  annutn.  The  chief  articles  of  export  are:  corn  as  grain  and  flour,  tallow, 
skins,  butter,  meat,  potato  molasses,  game  and  fish.  The  local  merchants  pur- 
chase droves  of  cattle  in  the  Kirgi'z  steppe,  and  after  having  fattened  them 
on  the  extensive  pastures  situated  in  the  envinms  of  the  town  along  the 
banks  of  the  Tobol,  slaughter  them  in  the  autumn. 

.\ccording  to  the  estimates  for  1899,  the  revenue  of  the  town  amounted 
to  R.  61,445  17  k. 

The  Public  Town  Bank,  opened  in  186.5.  has  an  annual  business  oi 
R.  3,000.000.  Manufactures  and  industry  are  represented  by  the  firms  of  Smo- 
lin—wheat-flour  mill,  distillery,  brewery,  molasses  manufactory,  tallow  boi- 
lery;  Menshikov  — glassworks;  Bolshakov  and  Co. —  a  starch  manufactory; 
Bronnikov  and  Shvetov— wheat-flour  mills;  Bakunin,  Kaltashev.  Veniukov  and 
Co..  Margenev  have  molasses  manufactories;  Kolpakov,  a  butter  manufactory 
The  transport  offices  are:  The  Russian  Society,  Kukhtarin  and  Sons,  The  Bro- 
thers Kamensky.  the  Nadezhda  Society. 

Upon  the  opening  of  traffiic,  a  settlement  was  establishdl  neai'  the  sta- 
tion, which  is  gradually  extending;  it  consists  of  houses  belonging  partly  to 
railway  employees  and  i)artly  to  merchants.  The  sphere  of  influence  of  the 
station,  besides  the  town  of  Kurgan,  comprises  132  settlements  with  a  popu- 
lation of  68,000.  This  populous  and  fertile  region  yields  annually  about 
5,000,00(J  puds  of  various  goods —  grain,  tallow,  butter,  meat,  game  —  which 
are  despatched  direct  to  the  ports  of  Russia,  and  to  the  interior  markets  of 
the  Empire.    This  explains  the  great  importance  of  the  station  nf  Knii^-.in.  In 


THK  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


179 


iBftTrf^^^if-'^  * 


toftsP"*'' 


The  medical  and  feeding  station  for  emigrants  near  the  station 
of  Kurgan. 


1S9S.  tlu-  iiiiiiiitity  iif  irrain  Imiind  wost  ainounttMl  to  4.i)tiT.tH)7  inids.  viz.  544.13 
imcl.s  of  rye.  "'..'i.'Atitil)  pud.s  of  whoat.  708,473  pufls  of  oats.  13  puds  of  millet. 
3,ii!».T  puds  of  buckwheat,  1.5.464  puds  of  bai'ley.  6,374  puds  of  peas,  .'>.'>.367 
puds  of  wheat  meal.  22.530  puds  of  rye  meal.  427  puds  of  buckwheat  flour. 
2.415  puds  or  buckwheat.  Ill  puds  of  luilletmeal.  4.!7  puds  of  ditTeient  kinds 
of  jrrain.  1.3(iti  puds  of  bran.  !1I,212  ])uds  of  hempseed  and  linseed,  and  <H5 
puds  of  other  oil  seeds. 

A  medical  and  feeding  station  for  the  emigrants  is  established  near  the 
railway   station,  which    is    also  the  residence  of  an  official  employed  for  the 
regulation  of  the  emiirratinn  ninvenient.  This  i)oint  is  jiarticularly    important 
for  the  emigrants  l)oiin(i 
for  the  north-west  of  the 
Akmolinsk  territory. 

The  railway  line  skir- 
ting the  town  on  its 
northern  side,  at  the  247 
vers!  crosses  the  river 
Tobol  by  a  bridge  247 
sazhens  in  length  wiili 
the  roadway  upon  the 
lower  chord.  The  bridge 
has    four   spans,  two  of 

.50  and  two  of  10  sazhens  at  each  end.  The  height  of  the  embankment  Is  4.73 
sazhens  on  the  west,  and  4.47  sazhens  on  tlje  east.  The  five  piers  are  laid 
on  caissons,  while  the  abutments  and  the  retaining  walls  are  supported  on 
piles;  the  girders  are  seiniparabolic. 

After  having  crossed  the  Tobol.  the  line  ascends  to  the  watershed  of  the 
rivers  ToIdI  and  I'tiak.  At  the  266-th  verst.  it  runs  over  the  Utiak  spanned 
by  a  bridge  10  sazhens  long. 

8)  Varg-ashl.  V  class  (276-v.)  is  situated  3  versts  from  the  village  of 
the  same  name  (pop.  1,200).  The  country  is  level  and  covered  with  young 
birch  woods.  Water  is  supplied  from  wells. 

.\bout  100.000  luids  of  grain,  furnished  l>y  tiie  surrounding  viilage-s.  are 
annually  conveyed  from  here  to  the  western  markets.  .\  distillery  belonging 
to  I'shakov  and  a  butter  manufactory  to  Lester,  are  situated  within  8  versts 
of  the  station.  At  the  282-th  verst,  the  line  reaches  its  highest  point  on  the 
watershed  nf  th.'  Tobol  and  Ishim. 

9)  LebiSzhie.  V  class  (318  v.).  The  village  of  Lebiazhie  (pop.  1,7m) 
stands  6  versts  from  the  station.  The  place  is  swampy,  and  jirovided  with 
wells  containing  bad  water.  There  are  about  60  settlements  and  villages 
with  a  population  of  38,000  within  the  range  of  the  station,  whence  500,000 
puds  of  goods  are  forwarded  by  freight  trains  to  the  interior  western  niiirkets 
of  the  E;mi)ire.  The  quantity  of  grain  conveyed  in  lSi»8  was  4(^)4,287  puds.  The 
surrounding  settlements  contain  over  15  butter  manufactories,  producing 
annually  about  20.000  puds  of  cream  butter. 

10)  Makushino.  TV  class.  Buffet.  (362  v.).  The  locality  is  low  and 
swampy.  It  is  supplied  with  water  by  a  lake;  in  winter  this  freezes  to  the 
bottom  and  melted  ice  is  then  used.  The  village  of  Makiishino  (pop.  1.266)  is 
at  a  distance  of  one  verst  from  the  station;  40  settlements  and  villages  with 
a  poiiulation  of  20,oa)  are  scattered  in  the  environs.  The  tallow-boilery  of 
L'shakov   is   situated   near.  The    agricultural  region  surrounding  the  station 

12a 


180 


GUIDK  TO  THE  GRKAT  WIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


riirnislii's  aiiiuiallv  almiil  a  iiiilliim  and  a  half  puils  of  clifTcrcnt  irood.s  which 
aiT  expoi'tc'il  (Ih-i'ct  Id  the  wfsterii  mai'kct.s  of  the  Empiro.  In  ISitS.  tho 
quantity  ol'  uraiii  cti-.  cnnveyod  from  this  point  amounted  {<<  1,217. !i2(i  puds 
(tO,2i»(i  ])uds  of  rye,  a'i2,(;22  puds  of  wheat,  2r)(),2U  puds  of  oats,  l.'),<i7(i  puds 
of  bai'ley,  D.'W  puds  of  bran,  t),4.')7  puds  of  oil  seeds). 

.\  cliinrh  luilding  4.ii)  people  has  i)een  erected    near   the   station;  it   was 
inau,i;urated  on  the  21  March  1898  in  honour  of  the  Presentation  of  the  Hol,\ 


Bridge  over  the  Tobol. 


Viruin.    Tliere    is    also    a    jiarish    school    willi    one    class  for  30  lioy  and  girl 
pupils,  liuilt   in  the  name  of  the  archpriest  John  Sergiev. 

At  the  36S  th  verst,  the  line  deviates  considerably  to  the  north  avoiding 
the  large  lake  Elanich.  Near  the  station  of  Petukhovo  it  enters  into  the 
limits  of  the  Ishini  district  of  the  Tobolsk  government. 

11)  Petukhdvo.  V  class  (407  v.).  The  country  is  level  and  dry.  Water 
is  provided  from  a  neighbouring  lake.  In  winter,  the  water  is  not  good.  The 
village  of  Petukhovo  is  situated  within  a  distance  of  0  versts.  At  the  time  of 
the  construction  of  the  line,  the  Voznesenie  suburb  was  built,  in  1893,  near 
the  station:  it  is  inhabited  by  peasant  settlers  from  the  governnu'Uts  of 
Poltava  and  Chernigov.  Th(>  agricultiu-al  region  around  the  station  numbers 
5  .settlements  and  lo  villages  containing  a  populati(m  of  8,oiX).  and  furnishing 
annually  about  .')00,00()  puds  of  various  goods  ex|)orted  to  the  interior  markets 
of  the  Empire.  The  (piantity  of  grain  transported  from  this  station  in  ISUs 
amounted  to  440,.570  puds,  in  this  district  there  is  a  butter  uuniufactor.\ 
belonging  to  .Mr.  Ventikh,  and  manufactories  of  the  same  kind  bebuiging 
to  the  peasants  organised  on  the  cooperative  iiriuciple  in  the  settlements 
K;imenskoe  and  Ulchiinskoe,  producing  over  .'),000  inids  of  cream  butter 
annually. 

.V  medical  and  feeding  station  with  a  barrack  holding  50  people  is  esta- 
blislied  near  the  station.  When  the  movement  is  at  its  maximum,  the  emigrants 
are  accouuidatcd  in  Kii'giz  \iirtas. 


THK  WEST  SLUKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


ISl 


This  station  is  of  essential  importance  to  the  enii,i;rants  settlint;  the  free 
lands  of  the  Ishim  district  in  the  Tolioisk  i^dvernment  and  the  northern  [lart 
"f  the  Petropavlovsk  district  in  the  Akmolinsk  territory. 

12)  Mamlititka.  V  class.  (44s  v.).  The  country  is  level  and  swampy. 
The  water  is  of  an  inferior  (piality.  The  village  of  Mamliutka  is  in  close 
proximity  to  the  station  (pop.  400).  There  are  about  10  settlements  within  the 
ranee  of  the  station,  exjiortins  annually  IW.OOO  puds  of  irrain  to  the  interior 
markets  of  the  Empire.  .\t  the  4(i,i-th  verst.  the  line  enters  the  limits  of  the 
I'etropavlovsk  district  in  the  .\kmolinsk  territory,  and  be.i^ins  its  descent 
Mlong  the  Ishim  valley.  At  the  4.s2-th  verst,  it  passes  over  the  Ishim  by  a 
bridge  with  an  opening  of  100  sazhens. 

The  bridge  has  two  spans  of  50  sazhens  and  two  of  10  sazhens  on  both 
sides.  The  height  of  the  embankment  at  the  west  end  is  5.12  sazhens,  at  the 
east— 5.4')  sazhens.  Its  three  piers  are  laid  on  caissons.  The  abutments  have 
a  beton  foundation.  After  having  crossed  the  Ishim,  the  line  ascending  along 
the  right  slope  of  the  valley  reaches  the  station  of  Petropavlovsk. 

18)  Petropavlovsk.  Ill  class.  Buffet.  (490  v.).  Is  situated  within  two 
versts  of  the  district  town  of  the  same  name  in  the  Akmolinsk  territory. 

The  town  of  Petropavlovsk  stands  on  the  right  l)ank  of  the  Ishim  (pop. 
l!).ti.S7— lo.im  males.  9,457  females;  54^3'  X.  lat.,  HS=47'  E.  long). 

The  creation  of  a  permanent  centre  of  population  on  the  site  of  the  pre- 
sent town  dates  from  1752;  it  was  founded  with  a  view  to  protect  the  Russian 
settlements,  extending  to  the  south  along  the  valleys  of  the  rivers  Ishim  and 
Tobol:  a   fortified    boun- 
dary linewas  at  thesame 
time  traced  between  the 
Siberian    territory    and 
the  land  occupied  by  the 
Kirgiz-Kaisak  hordes. 

.\  flirt  in  the  name 
of  S-t  Peter  and  S-t  Paul 
was  built  on  the  elevated 
bank  of  the  Ishim.  sur- 
roundedby  wooden  walls 
and  stockades. The  boun- 
dary line  marked  l\v 
a  series  of  wooden  fort- 
resses (Pokrovskaya,  Xi- 
kolaevskaya,  Lebiazhia, 
Pohidennaya.  St.inovs- 
kaya,  Presnovskaya.  Ka- 
bania,  Presnogi'irkovs- 
kaya)  began  here  stre- 
tching straight  to  the 
west, for  a  distance  of  2.50 
versts.  to  the  lord  over 
the  Tobijl.  This  frontier 
was  called  the  Bitter  F.ine, 
lying  in  this  direction. 

In  consequence  of  its  position  at  the  junction  of  the  caravan  steppe  routes 
and   the   highways    suitable  for  cattle  driving,  the  outskirts  of  the  S-t  Peter 


Church  near  the  station  oi  Makushino. 


on    account    "f  thi'  great  number  of  bitter  lakes 


r.riDK  TO  TlIK  GREAT  SIBKUIAN    RAILWAY. 


and  I'muI  Im't  bi'caine  tlic  ccnti-c  nf  a  livdv  trade  w  liii-h,  lirsidi's  thr  CiMitral 
Asiatic  nomads  and  particularly  tin-  iiihai>itants  iiT  j-iiikliari'i  ami  TashlviMit, 
eiiil)i'aci'd  f'iiina  whose  outposts  at  iliai  date,  advanriiiir  lar  into  the  interior 
ijf  the  actual  Steppe  resi-ion,  reacdied  to  l\(il<chet;'\v,  situated  at  a  ijistance  of 
but  170  versts  south  of  the  Hitter  Line. 

A  special  barter  court  was  established  at  this  |ioint  where  Russians  and 
Asiatics    exchansred    siiods,  cattle    and    even  men.  the  Kir;:iz-Kaisaks  havini;- 


Bridge  over  the  Ishitn. 

received  the  permission,  accordinu'  to  a  law  ]U-omul,i;ated  by  the  Kussian 
Government  in  1756,  to  sell  and  truck  for  goods  Kalmyks  and  other  prisoners 
of  war  belonging  to  some  subject  Asiatic  race,  to  all  Russians  of  the  orthodox 
religion,  irrespective  of  rank,  in  order  to  increase  in  Siberia  the  number  of 
those  possessin.g  serfs.  The  sale  of  prisoners  was  forbidden  by  an  ukiv/.r 
given  on  the  8  October  lR2n. 

At  the  end  of  the  XVIII  century  |17S2),  the  Sultan  of  the  Middle  Kirgi/ 
Vali  Horde,  in  the  presence  of  Lieutenant  General  Yak6l)i  sent  liy  the  Em- 
press Catherine  II,  solemnly  swore  allegiance  to  Russia  in  the  fortress  of 
Peter  and  Paul.  In  1807,  the  fortress  was  transformed  into  the  town  of  Petro- 
pavlovsk  and  included  in  the  Tobolsk  government:  lying  on  the  frontier  and 
being  the  centre  of  an  extensive  trade  with  the  Asiatic  tribes,  this  town  was 
chosen  as  the  headquarters  of  a  customs  board,  which  was  abolished  about 
1860.  Since  the  organisation  of  the  Akmolinsk  territory,  the  tnwn  of  Petro- 
pavlovsk  has  ranked  among  the  district  towns. 

To  the  present  time,  the  town  of  Petropavlosk  is  of  the  first  importance 
in  the  local  stepiie  Central  .Vsiatic  trade:  in  its  pojjulation  and  outward 
appearance, it  differs  nuich  from  other  vSiberian  towns,  retaining  a  half  Asiat- 
ic, half  Mohammedan  character.  Its  population  contains  35  percent  of  Mohamme- 
dans, viz.  Tatars,  Bukharians.  Tashkentians  and  a  few  Kirgi'z  chiefly  engaged 
in  the  sale  of  animal  products.  The  town  contains  2,972  houses  including 
20(J  of  stone.  The    shops  and  stiuie  houses  are  all  of  stone.  Special  attention 


THE  WKST  5ilBERI.\X  RAILWAY. 


183 


should  be  paid  to  the  Barter  Court,  comprising  137  stone  shops  under  one 
roof,  occupying  a  rectangular  area  245  sazhens  long  and  50  sazhens  wide, 
employed  as  a  depot  for  various  raw  materials,  and  for  the  sale  of  Asiatic 
-oods.  The  shoi)fronts  are  inside  the  court.  There  are  five  stone  orthodox 
churches,  a  wooden  .Jewish  synagogue,  and  six  stone  Mohammedan  mos>[ues 
with  high  minarets  of  fine  architecture.  Educational  institutions:  school  with 
five  classes  for  boys,  preparatory  gymnasium  with  four  classes  for  girls,  two 
parish  schools,  parish  school  for  girls,  two  Cossack  schools,  six  Tatar  schools 
imedreseh)atta(lied  to  the  mosiiues.  Town  hosjiital.  A  small  stone  theatre. 
Public  club.  A  branch  ot  the  State  Bank.  Public  Town  Bank.  Two  hotels  with 
rooms  at  oo  k.  to  R.  1  50  k.  a  day.  The  annual  town  revenue  amount.^  ta 
R.  6t.),(XXi.  There  are  two  fairs:  The  Pelrovskaya,  held  from  the  25  June  to 
25  July,  and  the  Ignatievskaya,  lasting  from  the  18  December  to  the  1  January 
where  principally  agricidtural  and  animal  luoducts  are  sold.  The  financial 
operations  etiected  at  these  fairs  are  not  considerable  and  do  not  contribute 
to  the  development  of  local  trade.  Tho  town  line  and  its  environs  include 
over  50  works  using  animal  products  Oi»lb>w  boileries.  sheepskin  works,  tan- 
neries, wool-washeries,  gut  manufactories),  and  also  a  great  number  of 
.salgany.  when-  from  2511.000  to  4iX).(X)0  head  of  cattle  driven  from  different 
l)arts  of  the  Steppe  region  are  slaughtered  annually.  The  salgan  presents 
a  ([uaJrangular  fence  made  of  timber  or  more  freiiuently  of  metal,  with  a 
superficial  area  of  1  to  -i  desiatins.  One  part  of  it  is  covered  with  a  shed. 
where  the  beasts  are  slaughtered  and  cut  up,  and  the  sheep  guts  cleaned: 
another  side  is  occujiied  by  closed  store-houses  serving  for  the  hanging  and 
storing  of  the  carcases:  on  the  third  side  there  is  a  tallow-boilery.  situated 
in  a  wooden  building  with  a  log  floor.  Large  kettles  of  solid  sheet  iron  are 
tittcd  in  hearths  placed  under  the  tloor  near  the  wall:  in  the  middle  of  the 
building  are  placed  massive  wooden  boxes,  into  which  the  boiled  tallow  after 
standing  is  jmured  for  cooling,  and  then  is  put  straight  into  barrels. 


Station  of  Petropavlovsk. 


184 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


The  .■iiiniial  cninincrrial  operations  of  lln'  town  of  I'l'tropavlosk  closely 
dc|)en(ling  on  tlio  general  development  of  ti'aile  in  the  vast  Kirglz  steppe, 
according  to  certain  official  data,  ii'feii-iii;;  to  tin'  last  ten  years,  ainoitnteil 
to  H.  5,000,0i».  However,  since  the  opening  of  traflic  on  the  (ireat  Sil)ei-iaii 
main  line,  the^■  have  much  increased  and  now  excM'ed  H.  r2,(KK),(K)(). 

The  most  important  firms  are:  Ivazantsev-  ironwares  and  cattle,  Butorin— 
iron  and  leather  goods,  Zakharin — iron  and  leather  goods,  Rakhmetlniev — 
Asiatic  goods,  Tinmenev — horsehair  and  down,  Faizulln— leathcM-  goods:  manu- 
factories (d'  Cheremizinov,  of  the  Brothers  ( )vsi,-inikov  and  of  (ianshin  and 
Sons,  Kill)  and  ('o,  leatlier.  hair,  and  lamli-skins.  .MLisumhi'iev  and  Irkiliaev-- 
both  Asiatic  goods. 

The  river  Ishim  on  wliich  the  town  stands,  calh^l  Isc'l  oi'  l^si'l  liy  tlie 
Kirgi'z.  is  the  left  trihutar.v  of  the  li'tysh.  Taking  its  rise  in  the  Vanuin  Kl:\/. 
niomitains,  it  flows  for  a  distance  of  2,i)tKi  \ei-sts:  half  id'  its  course    is    inclii- 


Barter  Court  in  Petropavloslt. 


ded  in  the  Kirgiz  sfepjie,  whiidi  in  spring  is  widely  flooded  Ly  its  waters. 
The  valley  of  the  ishim  has  a  sandy  and  (dayey  soil,  abounds  in  pastures 
and  is  dotted  with  numerous  lakes,  which  at  a  remote  time  were  river  beds. 
This  vast  valley,  richly  provided  with  pastures,  was  always  the  favourite  resort 
of  the  nomads,  within  the  confines  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe.  From  the  Kokchetav 
district,  the  river  beciomes  suitalile  for  rafting,  Init  the  great  number  of  dams 
and  pile  bridges  occurring  principally  on  its  lower  reaches,  present  an  impe- 
diment to  the  development  of  this  nu)de  of  navigation, 

On  the  18  July,  1891,  the  town  of  Petropavlovsk  was  honoured  li.\  the 
vi.^it  of  His  Imperial  Majesty  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  11,  then  Heir 
Apparent  to  the  throne,  on  his  wa\  fiom  the  Far  Hast.  Having  been  conveyed 
by  hoi'ses  from  Omsk  to  Petroi)avlovsk  through  the  territory  of  the  Cossack 
troops.  His  Imperial  .Majesty  was  greeted  at  tlu'  triumphal  arch  erected  at  the 
entrance   to    the    town,    bv   the  militarv  governor  cd'  the   .\kiiiohnsk  tei'ritory 


TIUC  WEST  SlnKRIAN   RAILWAY. 


1S5 


Major-Cionoral  Sunnikov.  liy  ilt'puties  tVimi  tlir  puhlic  tnwn  Ixiard  and  rinm 
the  citizi'iis.  l).v  the  MoluunnuMlan  ch'i-iry.  liy  llie  Petropiivlovsk  Cdssacks.  and 
by  the  imblic  hoard  of  Akniohnsk.  After  a  visit  to  the  eatheth'al.  a  nniniei|ial 
school  with  .■>  classes  was  suleninlx'  opennl  in  the  pi'eseiice  of  His  Inipi'riMJ 
Mii.jesty,  and  His  name  iriven  to  it. 

l'P'"i  the  openine:  of  traffic  on  the  Siberian  main  lin(>,  a  settlement  was 
estabiislied  near  the  station  consisting  partly  of  houses  Itelonginir  lo  i-aii- 
waynien  and  merchants.  At  the  cost  of  tlic  iMupcror  .Moxandrr  111  fund,  a 
stone  ciimTh  capable  of  holdini;  450  persons  is  lieing  erected  near  the  sta- 
tion in  order  to  satisfy  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  railway  employees  and  of 
the  populatiiin  of  the  new  settlement  ll  is  dedicated  to  the  pati'oness  id'  the 
Empress  Maria  Feodorovna,  tfaint  Mary  Magdalen,  with  side  aisles  in  honour 
of  the  image  of  the  Mater  Dolorosa,  and  of  Saint  Theodosius  of  Chernigov. 
A  i)arish  school  for  SO  boy  and  girl  i)upils  is  built  near  the  station  in  I  he 
name  of  Privy  Councilhir  Tereshchenko.  A  medical  and  feeding  station  with 
barracks  accomodating  :iiK)  persons  is  established  within  a  verst  and  a  half 
from  the  statiiui,  i>rincipally  for  the  use  oi  the  settlers  bound  for  the  Akiim- 
linsk  territory.  As  a  result  of  the  peculiar  conditions  of  the  steppe  trade  and 
of  the  life  of  the  nomad  population  within  the  range  of  the  Petrop;ivlovsk 
station,  its  influence  embraces  an  imuieiise  area,  including  iiol  only  p.ul  of 
the  .\kmolinsk  territory,  but  also  the  adjaeiMit  steppe  regions. 


Parish  school  near  the  station  of  PetropSvlovslc. 


The  quantity  of  goods  forwarded  from  this  station  at  the  present  time 
exceeds  ;!.0(X).(XW  puds:  the  greater  portion  is  represented  by  animal  products. 

About  1.28:1247  puds  of  grain  were  conveyed  from  here  in  isiw  (47.492  puds 
of  rye,  7tw,H0.i  luids  of  wheat,  354,772  puds  of  oats,  :5.57  puds  of  barley.  12  puds 


1  8(3 


GllimO  TO  TIIK  OKEAT  SIHERIAN  RaU.WAY. 


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L 


TIIK  WKST  SIBKRI.W  RAILWAY.  187 

of  peas.  24.144  nf  wlnsit  iiiral,  22.;J2.-J  of  r\ c  iiiPiil,  124  \nids  of  varinu.s  grain, 
12,07S  i)U(is  III'  sccils  of  "il  plants).  The  tutal  p\i>ort  of  .stciiiic  and  animal 
l)roduct.s  is  clearly  shewn  in  tiie  data  olitained  l>.\  ihe  veterinary  sur\i\  of 
the  Akniolinsk  tei'ritory  rej^arding  the  i|Uantity  of  i-aw  jirodiicts  c-onve,\fd 
dui'inu-  1897  by  the  Wesl-Siherian  railway  from  the  station  of  Petropavlovsk. 
In  reality,  the  raw  prodiu'ts  are  neither  consumed  nor  exploited  in  the 
.given  centres,  whicii  serve  only  as  stages  for  the  furtiier  transport  of  the 
goods,  a  great  part  of  the  animal  |irodiicts  from  the  steppe  being  forwarded 
to  the  ports  of  i.iliava  and  lievel.  whence  sheepskins  are  sent  to  Vienna  and 
goatskins  to  Paris  and  Boston.  From  Udt-ssa,  many  products  are  conveyed  to 
Turkey.  Cuts  are  transported  through  Saniiira  to  Berlin  and  Hamburg.  The 
German  subjects,  the  brothers  Akkola,  for  several  years  past,  have  exported 
some  thousands  of  guts  from  the  town  of  Petropavlovsk.  The  choice  of  raw 
products  for  export  testifies  to  the  fact  that  the  local  traders  do  not  know 
how  to  avail  themselves  of  the  advantages  offered  by  the  railway  communi- 
cation, but  kee|)  to  the  ancient  customs,  according  to  which  tallow  and  but- 
ter, representing  tiie  products  of  the  steppe  cattle  to  the  yearly  amount  of 
several  hundred  thousand  puds,  are  even  to  the  present  time  transported  by 
nomads  and  traders  by  road  to  the  fair  of  Irbit.  where  the  prices  for  these 
|)roducts  are  fixed,  this  mode  of  conveyanc-o  being  very  cheap.  The  organisa- 
tion of  butter  churners  with  separators,  as  in  tiie  Tobolsk  government,  has 
not  here  received  a  large  development;  many  animal  products  left  totally 
unexploited  ofler  wide  prospects  for  the  api)lication  of  capital  ami  enterprise. 


R  ( )  U  T  K  S 
from  Petropiivlovsk  to  .\kiiio|in.sk  Tei-ritory. 

1)  Orcnbflrp  post  road:  From  the  town  of  IVtro|iuvlovsk-.\rkliiingplskaya  20  v.,  Malovozne- 
senskaya  2.">  v.,  Slaiiovava  22  v..  Sciizharskaya  .30-'  4  v.,  Novorybinskaya  29'  4  v..  Prcsnovskaya  IG  v., 
Ekaterinenskaya  2(1  v.'Kabaiiia  15'  2  v..  Peschanaya  24'  4  v.  ^2H0  vcrst.s  to  the  frontier  of  the 
Orenbfirj  irovernnient ). 

2)  The  .\knnilinsk  post-road:  From  the  town  of  Petropavlovsk,  Karatalskaya  station  18  v.. 
Karatoniarskaya  20.0  v..  Kaniyshluvskaya  2R.6  v.,  Fjnantfizskaya  24-V4  v..  Mizeilskaya  2:1'  4  v., 
Aksi'iiskaya  20  v.,  Aziitskaya  18  v..  town  of  Kokclietav  28  v.  (180  ver.sts  to  the  town  of  Kok- 
chetavi.  Prirerhnv  pieket  20  v.,  Zerendinskaya  18  v.,  Viktorovskaya  24-''i  v.,  Saiidyktav.skaya  16  v.. 
.MikhaibH-.skava  1!)  v..  Pokrovskaya  lit  v..  town  of  .\tba.sar  I!t  v.  (17tr'  l  ver.sts  to  tlie  town  of 
.Itbasan.  Baidehiiritskaya  34' 2  v..  .\inantaiskaya  22'  i  v.,  Koliintonskaya  24'  i  v.,  Karabinskaya 
27  v.,  Chanehars'kaya  29  v..  Uzbilandinskaya  22  v.,  Karann^dinskaya  32  v.,  Kannatskaya  30  v.. 
town  of  .ikinolinsk  3.5  v.  (255'  i  ver.sts  from  tiie  town  of  AknH)linskl. 


Caravan  Routes. 

From  the  town  of  Pefropavb)vsk  two  caravan  routes  lead  to  Tnrkestan: 
1)  Alonir  the  valley  ot  the  Isliini  to  I)zharu:ain-aehag-  (an  aneient  fort  at  tlie  turn  of  the 
bhim  northwards),  thenee  [ust  the  llntavsk  monntaiiis,  by  the  valley  of  the  Dzhida-Kentrfr  to  the 
Sarysfi  river,  and  I'nrthiT  past  the  sands  of  Arys  to  Ak-nieehet  (fort  of  Perovsky)  to  Unkhara. 
This  is  one  of  the  nnist  ancient  rontes.  The  present  ways  to  Bukhara  on  leaving  the  town  of 
Petropavlovsk,  turn  to  the  Troitsk  jiost-road  before  reachinjr  llzliarjraiu-achag-,  near  the  place 
called  Bekchentai. 

2l  To  the  town  of  Akinollnsk.  Commcncincr  at  the    Barter  Court    of  Petropavlovsk,  it    runs 
southwards  by  the  picket  road,  turning  south-east  near  the  woods  of  Karatoiiiarsk,  and  crossing 


188  GUIDE  To  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 

till',  Kiimll  river  Cliiiiiliiilia  (ford  at  Diu'ir-Kan'i)  20  vorsts  ahnvc  its  jiiiictioii  witli  laki'  iiolsluV- 
Cliafly.  From  Clii'igiiiika,  the  road  continiii's  in  tlie  direction  of  liiki'  Eserke-l)zliai(yr-Sor  and  rnns 
I'nrtlier  between  lakes  Bozorlii'ii  and  Maldyhoi  towards  lake  linlat-t'lialkar.  Ilienee  iiroeeedinff  soutil 
to  tlie  former  Pnblie  Conrt  ot  Ikdi-liiilak  (near  lake  Dzlinkei),  and  tliiMi  past  lakes  Knrtfll-Kul 
and  (:iiagalak-Kul,  over  the  small  river  Tatyniliet  (o  th<'  lake  Cliuchkaly  and  further  (hrongh 
Uch-Bniak,  the  picket  Chnbar  KnI,  the  Kuehekn  and  lake  Sasyk-Knl  readies  Akmolinsk.  Kroiii 
Angnst  till  Marcdi,  the  caravans  follow  a  more  western  rente  tlirougli  tlie  Cossack  village  of 
Shclu'iehenskaya.  The  total  length  of  the  route  between  I'etropavlovsk  and  Akmolinsk  is  430  v. 
The  road  is  maiidy  sand  and  lime,  rarely  stone.  The  goods  broucht  to  Akmolinsk  by  eart,  are 
here  transferred  to  camels.  The  Akmidinsk  market,  fnrnisheng  the  needful  supplies  lor  the  fur- 
ther journey  to  the  south,  the  traders  start  with  tlu'  caravans  by  Ibe  lollowiiig-  r(]ads,  under 
tlie  guidance  of  the  caravan-bash. 

a)  From  the  town  of  Akmolinsk,  the  road  fords  the  Isliini  and  runs  southwards  to  the 
Nurinsk  picket  117  versts,  keeping:  nio.stly  to  the  right  bank  of  the  Nnn'i  which  is  provided 
with  abundant  pastures  and  very  good  water:  everywhere  are  Kirgiz  w'interi|uarfers. 

b)  From  the  Nurinsk  ]iicket  to  lake  Bozgi'il,  a  distance  of  226  versts.  the  road  deviates  to 
the  south-west:  the  population  is  thinner  at  some  placi's  water  is  supplied  from  wells,  and  reeds 
are  employed  as  fuel. 

c)  The  distanci'  between  lake  Kozgiil  and  Agatak  is  4fi3  versts.  At  lirst  the  road  is  .sandy, 
then  hard  and  clayey  with  red  clay  and  line  red  pebbles.  The  eyes  are  hurt  by  looking  at  the 
ground  and  at  the  air  which  on  tlie  surface  of  the  earth  is  of  a  crimson  colour.  Salt-marshes 
and  soft  sands  occur  beyond  Kel-Kiiduk,  forming  at  some  points  large  .sand  hills.  The  road  is 
very  hard  for  the  caravans.  The  inhospitable  .steppe  of  Bekpak-Dalii  stretches  beyond  the  Taban- 
Kuduk,  presenting  a  perfectly  level  plain  for  a  distance  of  GO  versts.  Tlie  soil  of  this  dry  steppe 
is  clayey  with  line  gravel.  Further  on,  the  surface  is  more  varied  and  water  is  to  be  found  at 
the  S.i-tli  venst  in  Ohulak-Espe:  twenty-six  versts  from  Espa  is  the  sandy  bed  of  the  river  Cliu. 
After  having  crossed  the  river,  the  road  is  clayey  as  far  as  Agalak.  The  fodder  on  the  way  is 
very  bad,  especially  in  Beg|iak-dabi  which,  for  a  distance  of  85  versts,  is  waterless.  The  saksaul 
bush  is  employed  aS  fuel. 

d)  The  distance  between  Agalak  and  Tnrkestau  is  1(X)  versts.  Till  Ak-Tiube,  the  road  winds 
its  way  among  mountain  passes  and  ridges.  Fuel  is  scanty.  Rivulets  run  alone'  the  road. 


Prom  the  station  of  Petropiivlovsk,  the  railway  line  ascends  the  wator- 
.shed  of  the  rivers  Ishfm  and  Irtysh,  and  near  the  Tokiishi  station,  at  the 
515  verst,  reaches  its  highest  point. 

Hence  the  line  proceeds  alon.g  the  northern  slope  of  the  Kamyahlov  and 
Irtysh  deftression.  which  stretches  eastwards  to  the  Irtysh  and  contains  a 
series  of  brackish  lakes  known  under  the  name  of  the  Kamyshlov  lakes.  This 
depression  represents  the  valley  of  a  former  river  with  a  whole  system  of 
rivulets  and  streams  which  are  drying  up  and  through  which  the  brackish 
water  of  the  lakes  drains  into  the  Irtysh.  The  lake  system  existing  at  the 
present  time  terminates  near  the  Irtysh  by  the  small  river  Kamyshlovskaya; 
almost  all  the  lakes  have  bitter  and  brackish  water;  during  the  summer  they 
an^  nearly  dry  and  covered  with  reeds  which  in  rotting  produce  uuliealthy 
exhalations. 

This  depression  is  situated  in  tlu^  tt'rritory  occupied  by  the  Siberian  Cos- 
sack ti-oojis,  and  contains  a  line  of  Cossack  settlements  and  former  fortres- 
ses and  I'cdoubts.  which,  between  the  town  of  Omsk  and  the  frontier  of  the 
Urenbur.g  govermiieiit.  represents  the  risht  flank  of  the  Siberian  Cossack 
troops  and  is  called  tlu'  Hitter  Line. 

Previous  to  the  eonstruction  of  the  railway,  llu-  post  road  fi'oiii  Omsk  to 
Orenburg  followed  the  Kamyshlov  depression. 

U)  Tokushi.  V  class  (522  v. I.  The  country  is  level,  siu'rouiided  b.\-  swamps 
anil  lakes  and  dolled  with  birch  groves.  A  lake  l.\iu,a'  near  the  station  furn- 
ishes good  water.  Tlie  settlement  of  Tokushi  is  .situated  in  pr.i\imity    to  the 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


isn 


station,  havinjic  been  ostahlished  boforc  the  construction  of  the  railway  line. 
It  contain.'^  a  school  for  boys  and  irirls,  which  is  inaintaiiicd  by  tln' 
community. 

!.'>)  Medvezhia.  V  class  (507  v.).  The  country  is  level,  covered  with  biich 
proves.  Water  is  taken  from  a  swamii.  lying  a  verst  and  a  half  from  the  sta- 
tion. The  Medvezhy  settlement  (pop.  2.501  is  situated  within  4  versts. 


Wooden  church  near  the  station  of  Isil-Kiil. 


Iti)  Isil-KUl.  IV  class.  Bufiel  (010  v.).  Omsk  district.  The  country  is  dry 
and  level  with  copses  of  birch.  Water  is  got  from  lake  Isil-Kiil,  lying  two 
versts  from  the  station.  In  winter  the  lake  often  freezes  to  the  bottom.  A 
wooden  church  holding  4.50  people  erected  at  the  cost  of  the  Kmperor  .Alex- 
ander III  fund,  stands  near  the  station.  The  church  was  inaugurated  on  the 
18  March  in  honour  of  the  Moscow  Saints  Peter.  Alexei.  Ivan  and  Philip. 
There  is    also   a  wooden   building   containing   an   elementary   jiarish    school 


100 


GUIDE  TO  THU  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAH, WAY. 


with  (iiio  class.  I'oundrd  in  ilir  iiMiiU'  <<[  tlic  arch  priest  John  Sergiev.  Goro- 
(lisiiche  (pop.  650)  is  the  nearest  settlement;  it  has  been  inhabited  since  1S"J."), 
in'incipally  by  emigrants  from  the  Penza  government.  The  range  of  influence 
of  the  station  comprises  20  settlements  witii  a  total  population  of  10,500. 
Notwithstanding  the  recent  organisation  of  many  setlements.  grain  products 
are  already  transpoi'ted  IVom  here  to  ihe  west.  In  IS'.is,  the  quantity  nf  c\ 
ported  grain  amounted  to  4i).5Hl  puds. 


Ikonostasis  in  the  church  at  the  station  of  Isil-Kul. 

17)  Kochub^evo.  V  cla.ss  (657  v  ).  The  country  is  level,  clad  witli  birch 
groves.  Water  of  an  inferior  quality  is  supidied  by  wells.  Tlie  Cossack  settle- 
ment Volchy  (pop.  1,000)  is  at  a  distance  of  three  vertsts. 

18)  Maridnovka.  V  class  (099  v.).  The  country  is  level,  the  water  bad. 
The  Cossack  settlement  of  Kurgan  (pop.  KXT)  is  situated  within  4  versts.  At 
a  former  date  tumuli  (kur.gans)  described  in  1771  by  the  Academician  Falk, 
stood  near  the  settlement,  whence  the  name  Kurgan:  at  present  there  is  no 
trace  of  them  left.  In  1S9.S.  about  22,428  |iuds  of  grain  were  exported  from 
here  to  t\w  west. 

19)  The  Omsk  military  post  (741  v.).  .\  branch  line,  half  a  verst  in 
len.gth,  runs  hence  to  the  Irtysh  to  meet  the  necessities  of  the  railway.  A 
saw  mill  and  works  Uir  chemical  preservation  of  ties  are  being  built  on  the 
wood  platform  of  the  railway.  .\  wheat-flour  mill  and  another  mill  belonging 
to  the  merchant  Heiuennikov  stand  in  clost'  pi-o.vimity. 


4 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


191 


Till'  siatiiui  is  lint  c)|ifn  I'nr  coniiiH'rciMl  (ipi'i'Mtinns.  Al  tin'  74:!  vcrst.  tht' 
line  prossos  thi'  Irtysh  by  a  bfi<ii;e  nf  8(m)  sazhons.  It  lias  (i  spans  of  50  sazh- 
eii.s.  The  height  of  the  embaiiknient  on  the  west  is  HM  sazhens,  on  the 
east  9.72  sazhens.  The  breadth  of  the  river  bed  is  about  500  sazhens;  dams 
projecting  into  the  river  have  been  constructed  tor  the  regulation  of  the  curr- 
ent. The  piers  are  laid  on  caissons.  The  abutments  and  piers  are  made  ol" 
granite  brought  from  Cheliiiblnsk  and  laid  with  cement.  The  girders  of  weld- 
ed iron  produced  by  tlie  Viitkin  works  were  made  in  tlie  temporary  shojis 
of  Enginer  Berezin  in  I'fYi.  The  construction  of  the  bridge  was  carried  out 
by  the  contractor.  Engineer  Berezin,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Engi- 
neers Zahissky  and  Olshevsky.  After  having  crossed  the  h-tysh,  the  line  ap- 
proaches the  town  of  Omsk. 

20)  Omsk.  II  class.  Butt'et  (74.i  v.).  Is  situated  within  .3  versts  of  the 
town. 

The  town  of  Omsk  belonging  to  the  .Akniolinsk  territory  stands  on  the 
right,  at  the  junction  of  the  rivers  Om  and  Irtysh  (54"  5U'  N.  lat,  4.3'  6'  E. 
long).  The  census  of  1897  shewed  a  i>opulation  of  :?7.470,  '20,106  males, 
17,3ti4  females;  according  to  the  record  of  the  local  administration,  the  num- 
ber of  inhabitants  in  ISilO  is  given  as  50,7(58  (27,02!)  males;  2.3,739  fem.).  By 
order  of  the  Great  Reformer  Peter  I,  a  special  expedition  was  organised  in 
1714  under  Colonel  Buchholz  with  a  view  to  enlarge  the  commercial  relations 
of  Russia  and  Central  Asia.  Having  been  opposed  by  the  Dzhungars  who 
occui)ied  the  greater  part  of  the  territory  of  the  present  Siberian  steppe  bor- 
der land.  Buchholz  iijion  receiving  the  autlioi'is,ation  of  Prince  tiagarin,  then 
the  intUiential    sovernor  of   all  Siberia,  founded    in  171!)  a  small    fortress  on 


Bridge  over  tlie  Irtysh. 


ih''  left    bank  of   the  Om  with    a  view   to   strengthen    th<'  F-fussian  dominion 

long  the  nomads  of  the  Asiatic  steppes.    Very  soon  the  Omsk   fortress  ob- 

•  med   stategical   importance,  being   the   point   of  junction  of   the  Orenburg 

•  md  Tobolsk  roads  with  the  Kolyvan-Kuznetsk  border  line.  Lieutenant-Gene- 
i\  Springer,  who  in  1763  was  appointe<l  c(Miimander  of  all  the  border  lines 
I    Siberia,   deeming   that   fortresses   contributed    to   the   jiaciflcation  of   the 

neighbouring  Asiatic  tribes,  abandoned  the  existing  fortifications   on  the  left 


192 


nnilE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


bank  dl'  liir  Om.  ami  ciTctcd  iiKire  solid  ones  on  llii'  riiihl  liank  in  Ww  aiiuir 
formed  hy  thf  Oin  at  its  union  with  tht?  Irtysh.  The  const laiction  of  tho  now 
fortress  was  begun  in  ITtif),  according  to  the  Vauban  system,  forming  a  i)ol\  • 
gon  with  five  bastions:  the  strengthening  of  the  southeiMi  boundary  of  Sibe- 
ria was  nndertaken  at  the  same  time.  The  ?]lisal)eth  light-house  was  placed 
opposite  to  the    forti'css  <in    the  left  bank  «f   the  Irtysh,  where  a  market  for 


Passenger  station  at  Omsk. 


the  native  nomads  was  opened.  From  1782.  when  the  Tobolsk  province  was 
organised,  the  Omsk  fortress  was  included  in  its  confines,  and  transformed 
into  a  town,  which  on  account  of  its  fortifications  ranked  till  the  beginning 
of  the  XIX  century  among  the  best  and  strongest  bases  of  the  Siberian 
boundary  line.  Upon  the  organisation  in  1822  of  a  separate  Omsk  territory, 
comi)rising  all  the  lands  occupied  by  the  conquered  Kirgiz  hordes,  Omsk  was 
made  the  centre  of  the  local  administration,  and  for  administrative  purjioses, 
in  1839  became  the  residence  of  the  Governor-General  of  Western  Siberia; 
all  the  administrative  institutions  were  also  transferred  here  from  Tobolsk. 

The  sejjarate  administration  of  \\'estern  Siberia  was  abolished  in  1882, 
and  sul)Jected  to  the  g(>neral  control  of  the  Ministries  while  the  Akniolinsk 
and  Semipalatinsk  territories  were  formed  into  a  special  Steppe  government 
under  the  command  of  a  governor-general  resident  at  Omsk.  At  the  present 
time,  this  town  rejiresents  the  centre  of  the  Akniolinsk  and  Stepiie  govern- 
ment civil  administration.  !t  contains  also  the  diocesan  department  of  the 
Steppe  country  and  thi^  Couin  of  .lustice  of  the  Omsk  juridical  district.    In  it 


THE  WKST  SIBKRIAX  RAILWAY. 


193 


are  conccnlrati'il  lln'  Milniinislration  df  the  Siberian  n)ililar.\  ilistrii't  ami  nl 
the  ("()ssaci<  ti-iinps.  Tile  entrance  gate  is  tlie  sinijle  arciiaeoloiricat  monument 
left  from  tlie  fortifications  of  the  former  foi-ti-ess.  For  i>iirposes  of  aiimi- 
nistration  the  town  is  divided  into  seven  divisions:  Kad.Nshev.  Butyrlci.  M6- 
krinslv.  Lus.  Slol.)oda.  llyin  and  Cossack.  The  town  stands  on  an  even  site, 
somewhat  above  the  level  of  the  rivcfs  Irtysh  and  Om;  the  soil  is  sandy  and 
di-y  and  partly  saline.  The  climate  is  unfavourable,  bein.i:  characterised  by 
a  vecy  dry  air.  an  unsteady  temiierature  with  extreme  changes  from  cold  to 
heat  and  continuous  winds,  which  in  winter  produce  blizzards  and  in  sum- 
mer raise  clouds  of  dust. The  maximum  temperature  in  Omsk  is  +.36.4'.  the 
minimum  —41.1°.  the  absolute  moistuiY  is  5.1°,  the  amount  of  rainfall  309.3. 

The  town  is  almost  entirely  of  wood,  containing  small  one-storeyed  buil- 
dings. The  total  number  of  houses  is  ;?.(i05;  among  them  si  are  of  stone,  46 
of  which  belong  to  the  State,  3  to  the  imblic,  32  to  private  individuals,  .\mong 
the  .342  shops  only  two  belonging  to  i)rivate  persons  are  of  stone. 

The  monotonous  architecture  of  the  small  wooden  buildings,  the  unpaved 
streets  with  wooden  side -walks,  the  absence  of  any  vegetation,  which 
perishes  on  the  saline  soil,  give  to  Omsk  the  aspect  of   a  large  Cossack  set- 


01  Oirsk  Iphol.  by   Krf:kovJ. 


tlement.  .V  lew  stime  buildings  housing  State  and  pul)lic  instilutiims  stand 
ni:t  on  this  uniform  background:  the  Cadet  Corps,  the  Siberian  Cossack  troops 
I-A-onomical  Department,  the  barracks  of  the  local  garri.son,  the  residence 
nf  the  Governor  General  and  of  the  Commander  of  the  troops,  and  the  Engi- 
n.^er  Department  are  situated  within  the  space  formerly  occupied  by  the  for- 
tress; there   arc  also   a  gymnasium  for   l)oys  and   girls,  a  central  school  for 


194 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


surgeons'  iissistants,  a  tocliiiical  m-IkioI  ainl  the  'PoiTitoi-ial  Ailiiiinisti'alinn. 
The  town  includes  two  Siirdens,  one  on  the  hanks  of  the  Om,  organised 
iiy  the  Koeiety  for  the  Promotion  of  KhMuentary  Education.  A  birch  wood, 
sltuat(^d  on  tile  northern  side  of  tiie  town  within  a  verst  of  it,  is  the  object 

of  walks  by  the  inhabit- 
ants. On  ,the  southern 
side  near  the  railway 
line  and  close  to  the 
eain|i  of  the  local  bat- 
talion, is  another  birch 
wiHid  with  a  sanitary 
station,  whither  patients 
fi'om  the  military  hospi- 
tal are  brou.irht  in  sum- 
mer and  where  Kirgiz 
yurtas  are  pitched  for 
those  who  wish  to  drink 
kumys  prejtared  vuider 
the  supervision  of  the 
railway  physicians, 
settlements  belongs  to  the  histo- 


Remains  of  the  Omsk  fortres:s 


Thr  description  of   the  Siberian   penal 
rical  recollections  of  the  abolished  fortress. 

At  the  edge  of  the  fortress  near  the  ramparts  on  the  Om,  stood  a  wooden 
jienal  prison  surrounded  by  high  stockades  which,  from  the  middle  of  the 
XVII  century,  was  a  centre  for  convicts  banished  from  Russia,  and  played 
an  important  part  in  the  history  of  convict  exile  and  in  the  organisation  and 
settlement  of  the  Siberian  frontier  lines.  Towards  the  end  of  the  XVIll  cent- 
ury, in  the  time  of  Pugachov,  over  800  convicts  were  kept  in  the  Omsk  jn-is- 
on.  In  1849,  the  great  Russian  writer  and  thinker  F.  -M.  Dostoevsky  (1821— 
1881)  was  condemned  to  hard  labour  for  a  period  ol^  four  years,  and  was  ban- 
ished to  this  prison,  for  having  played  a  part  in  the  political  afTair  of  Pe- 
trashevsky.  Recollections  of  this  imprisonment  with  a  description  of  the  con- 
vict prison  were  recorded  with  great  talent  by  Dostoevsky  in  his  „Memoirs 
fi-om  a  Dead  House"  which  have  immortalised  in  history  the  Omsk  fortr(>ss 
and  its  „Dead  House",  The  poet  Durov  (1816—1869)  was  also  condemned  to 
hard  labour,  having  participated  in  the  same  political  afTair,  and  passed  four 
years  in  the  Dead  House  together  with  Dostoevsky.  This  historical  house 
has  not  existed  for  a  long  time,  and  the  spot  on  which  it  formerly  stood  is 
occupied  hy  new  luiildings.  There  are  13  orthodox  churches  in  the  town  (4 
l>arish  churches,  2  without  parishes,  7  house  chapels)  and  a  Mohammedan 
wooden  mosque.  The  first  stone  in  the  construction  of  the  cathedral  in  honour 
of  Christ's  Ascension  was  laid  on  the  16  July  1891,  in  the  presence  of  His 
Imperial  Majesty  the  jiresent  Emperor  Nicholas  II,  then  Heir  .\pparent  to  the 
throne,  <in  his  journey  across  th(>  Steppe  region.  The  successful  erection  of 
this  vast  cathedral,  which  is  capable  of  holding  1()(H)  peoiile  and  was  inaug- 
urated the  9  September  1898,  is  entirely  due  to  the  efl'orts  of  the  jiresident 
of  the  building  committee,  Lieutenant-Genei-al  N.I.  Sannikov,  Military  Governor 
of  the  Akmolinsk  territory.  The  materials  for  the  construction  having  been 
lirovided  without  recourse  to  c(mtractors,  the  total  cost  amounted  only  to 
H.  141,:U()  47-'  I  k.  This  sum  included  R.  l.i.OOO  granted  by  the  Holy  Synod, 
K.  38,000  from  tlu'   Voskresensk  church  riiiui.  the  i-eiuaindei-    being  donations 


THK  WEST  SIBKRIAX  RAILWAY. 


195 


by  private  iiulivuhials  ami  institutions.  Among  the  most  venerated  antiiiui- 
ties  of  tlie  orthodox  church,  the  followinj;  are  worthy  of  attention:  a  bible,  a 
cross,  a  paten  and  an  altar-cloth  given  by  the  Empress  Catherine  II  in  1774, 
and  kept  in  the  cathedral  of  the  Ascension.  In  the  Nicholas  Cossack  troojis 
church  is  kept  the  banner  of  Yermak,  which  by  the  pious  ofTerings  of  the  Cos- 
sacks of  the  Siberian  troops  has  been 
attached  to  a  valuable  shaft.  This  ban 
ner  was  brought  from  the  town  of 
Beriozov  and  is  2  arshins  and  6  ver- 
shoks  long.  On  one  side  is  i-ejire- 
sented  the  .\rchangel  Michael  on  a 
red  winged  horse,  striking  the  llevil 
with  his  spear  and  precipitating 
houses  and  towers  into  the  water; 
on  the  other,  is  seen  St.  Demetrius 
on  a  dark  green  horse  thrusting 
Kuchiim.  mounted  on  a  white  horse, 
into  an  abyss.  The  holy  spears  from 
the  miraculous  image  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  of  Abalak  are  kept  in  tln' 
church  of  the  Prophet  Elias. 

The  educational  institutions  are 
2!t  in  number:  the  Siberian  Cadet 
Corps,  a  military  preparatory  board- 
ing school,  a  school  for  boys,  a 
school  for  girls,  a  preparatory  gym- 
nasium for  girls,  a  seminary  for 
masters,  a  preparatory  school  attach- 
ed to  the  seminary,  a  lower  mech- 
anical and  technical  school  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  111.  a 
centi-al  school  for  surgeons'  assistants,  a  di.strict  school.  2  movable  schools. 
an  elementary-  industrial  and  reading  school,  an  elenii>ntary  handwork  school 
maintained  by  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Elementary  Education,  2 
Cossack  schools,  a  boarding  school  foi-  Kirgiz  children,  i  parish  schools,  a 
lower   school  of  forestry,  and  a  Mohammedan  school. 

The  first  military  school  on  the  Siberian  border  line  was  opened  in  the 
middle  of  the  XVIII  century  according  to  the  statute  concerning  garrison 
schools,  in  the  Biisk  fortress,  by  the  commander  of  the  dragoon  regiment  of 
Kolyvan.  Colonel  de  Harrig.  Taking  this  school  as  a  model.  Lieutenant  Ge- 
neral Springer.  Chief  of  the  .Siberian  border  lines  created  similar  ones  in  the 
towns  of  Omsk  and  Petropiivlovsk,  which  were  the  first  official  military  edu- 
cational establishments  on  the  former  West  Siberian  fmntier.  In  17s9.  an 
Asiatic  school  for  training  interpreters  was  founded  in  Omsk:  further,  a 
military  school  with  three  classes  for  the  spread  of  reading  and  writing 
among  the  class  destined  for  military  service.  In  182d.  the  Omsk  military 
school  was  transformed  into  a  school  for  the  Siberian  Cossack  troops  of  the 
line,  with  a  course  of  study  of  seven  years:  it  existed  to  the  year  1846.  when 
the  Cadet  Corps  was  opened  in  Omsk  according  to  the  plan  generally  adopt- 
ed for  military  educational  establishments.  .Vt  the  present  time,  this  corjis  is 
the  single  military  school  of  this  kind  throughout  Siberia  and  in  the  Russian 
dominions  in  .Vsia.  The  majority  of  the  public   educational   institutions  such 

13a 


The  Omsk  cath.dral  of  the  Ascension. 


196 


Gflin-;  TO  THE  OKEAT  SIBEUIAX    l;  All, WAY. 


as  the  classiriil  ii-\  iiinasitiin  lor  l)ii\.s.  the  si'lmul  I'mi-  li-aclu'is,  tln'  central 
school  for  assistant  suriieons.  tht'  technical  school,  are  due  to  the  enliahten- 
ed  activity  of  Adjutant  General  X.  0.  K'aznakc'iv.  (invernoi--f;eneral  of  Western 
Siberia  from  1875  to  1880. 

Charitable  institutions:  a  town  hospital,  an  nrphanaiie.  a  lialiy's  home,  a 
refu.sje  for  poor  children,  cheap  dinners,  and  public  tea-rooms. 

Missionai-y,  charitable,  scientific  and  other  societies   operatinir    in    accor- 
dance with  the  charters: 

1)  Diocesan  Committee  of  the  Orthodox  Missionary  Society.  2)  Charitable 
Society  under  the  patronage  of  the  Empress.  3)  Relief  Society  for  destitute 
boy  pupils  of  the  Omsk  ijymnasium.  4)  Relief  Society  for  poor  emigrants  to 
the  Steppe  re.gion.  5)  Relief  Society  for  destitute  girl  pujiils  of  the  Omsk 
gymnasium.  6)  Omsk  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Klementary  Education.  ^ 
7)  Relief  Society  for  teachers  ^nd  pupils  of  the  Akmolinsk  territory.  8)  The  J 
Omsk  district   Roni-il    of   the  chai'itable    society  of  the  Department  of  Justice.  * 

9)  The  Omsk  diocesan  clergy  Benevo- 
lent Society.  10)  The  Clerks'  Mutual 
Societ>-  in  Omsk.  11)  Relief  Societ>  for 
lyinu-in  women.  12)  Town  Society  for  ,>' 
mutual  fire  insurance.  13)  Volunteer  fire  ' 
lirigadi'.  14)  Local  Branch  of  the  Red  , 
('ross  Society.  I.'j)  Local  Branch  of  the 
Humane  Society.  Ifi)  Branch  of  the 
Russian  Society  for  the  protection  of 
animals.  17)  ..Self  Help"  Coperative 
^Supply  Society.  18)  West-Siberian  section 
of  the  Russian  Geographical  Society. 
Ill)  Omsk  Medical  Society.  20)  Branch 
of  the  imperial  Russian  Musical  Society. 
21)  Dramatic  Society.  22)  Chess-players" 
Society.  23)  Racing  Society.  24)  Legi-ji 
timate  Sport  Society.  25)  Public  club. 
There  is  no  theatre  in  the  town,  hut 
private  individuals  on  a  plot  of  land 
leased  in  the  centre  of  the  town  have 
built  a  theatre-circus,  to  which  actors  are  ' 
occasionally  invited.  The  military  clubs. 
are  well  arranged  and  housed  in  a  Gov- 
ernment building  in  the  former  fortress. 
Among  till'  charitable  institutions  must  be  mentioned  the  society  under 
the  iiatrona.ge  of  the  Ivupress,  which  has  existed  since  18BI.  coinjirising  a 
children's  home  with  an  elementary  trade  and  reading  school  and  chea]) 
dinners.  The  first  nuiterial  supi)ort  lor  these  charitable  institutions  was  se- 
ciu-ed  by  E.  I.  Kaznakov.  wife  of  the  former  governor-general  of  Westei'n  Si- 
beria, Adjutant-General  Kaznakov.  Her  name  will  always  be  closely  connected 
with  the  further  destiny  of  these  institutions  and  of  the  Charitable  Society. 
The  children's  homo  is  also  noteworthy  on  accotmt  of  the  good  organisation 
and  develoi>ment  of  hand-work:  it  is  the  creation  of  E.  .\.  Sanikov.  wife  of 
the  governor  of  the  .Vkmolinsk  territ(U'y.  .\mong  the  scientilic  institntions, 
the  first  place  belongs  to  the  West-Siberian  Branch  of  the  Imjierial  Russian 
Geographical  Society,  whose  works  relative  to  the  exploration  of  Siberia  and 


IkoiR- stasis  in  the  Cathedral  of  the  Ascension 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY.  197 

ihi-  neitrhlxHirinir  countries  comi>risin.a:  "Itscrvatinns  in  K^'lirraphy.  natural 
history,  archacoliiiry.  etiinoirrapiiy.  and  statistics,  are  puhli.shed  periodically  in 
.Memoirs-   which  have  been  issued  since  IST'.i. 

The  scientific  activity  of  the  society  is  connected  with  the  names  of  the 
explorers  of  ."Liberia  and  Central  Asia:  Przev.ilski.  Potanin.  Fevtsov.  Yadrint- 
sev.  .Vdrianov.  Klemenz.  Slovtsov.  Katanaev.  Schmidt  and  others.  The  Society 
possessess  a  house  and  a  lartre  museum  with  interestin.i;  collections  relative 
to  the  ethnography  of  tlie  native  population  of  the  steppe  borderland,  repre- 
sented by  Kirariz,  Dunsan  and  Taranchis:  there  are  also  articles  made  by  the 
peasants  and  Cossacks  of  the  steppe  reiiions.  a  collection  of  fossils  from  the 
.stepjie  border  and  from  the  Tobolsk  ,s;overnment.  The  ornitholoirical  collection 
is  extremely  rich,  and  the  archaeological  remains  of  jirehistoric  Asiatic  races 
are  very  interesting.  The  Society  owns  also  a  small  library  and  a  meteoro- 
logical station  opened  in  1886.  It  receives  annually  R.  2,000  from  the  Govern- 
ment for  the  organisation  of  scientific  expeditions,  the  publication  of  its 
works  etc. 

timsk  contains  the  following  liliraries:  1)  Tcnvn  public  lil)rary  under  the 
care   of   the   Society    for   the    Promotion    of  Klementary  Education  in   Omsk. 

2)  Militrry  library  attached  to  the    Siberian    Cossack    Economic    Department. 

3)  .lewish  library. 

Booksellers:  Orlov.  Alexandrov.  Kessler. 

Printina:  offices:  Akmolinsk  district  department.  Omsk  military  staff.  l>e- 
midov.  Mrs.  Suniriirov. 

Photographies:  Kessler.  Korkin.  Vasiliev.   , 

Periodicals  published  in  Omsk:  Akmolinsk  Territory  Gazette,  with  suple- 
inent  in  Kirgiz  and  Russian:  Diocesan  Gazette:  Memoirs  of  the  West  Siberian 
Branch  of  the  imperial  Russian  Geographical  Society:  Records  of  the  Omsk 
Medical  Society:  Steppe  Re<:ion. 

Niedical  institutions:  Town  hospital  with  25  beds:  lunatic  asylum  main- 
tained by  local  taxation:  prison  hospital:  lying-in  hospital:  large  military  hosp- 
ital for  the  troops.  Two  chemists"  shops,  bacteriological  station  and  dispens- 
ar>'  of  the  Omsk  military  district. 

Every  year,  from  the  l.'i  November  to  the  1  December,  a  fair  correspond- 
ing to  the  feast  of  the  Presentation  is  held  in  the  town:  animal  products 
are  the  chief  articles  of  sale.  Its  operations  are  not  considerable,  for  three 
years  scarcely  exceeding  R.  120.(X)0.  Manufactures  and  industry  remain  as 
yet  undeveloped  in  Omsk,  although  the  Siberian  main  line  is  open  to  ti'affic. 
Ten  years  ago.  in  18W.  the  town  of  Omsk  contained  i't  factories  and  works 
with  an  annual  output  of  the  value  of  R.  l2i».0iHl:  according  to  statistical  data 
of  1S99.  their  number  was  •'54  and  the  annual  production  R.  191.(389:  fourteen 
brick-kilns  (R.  56,t)00).  four  potteries  (R.  1,356),  a  distillery  (R.  19.920),  two  beer 
and  mead  breweries  (R.  43.54.S),  two  yeast  manufactories  (R.  4.000").  a  tobacco 
manufactory  jR.  28.870).  three  tallow  boileries  (R.  :i2.000).  a  tannery  tR-  6.000). 
two  sheei>skin  factories  (T{.  1,:-{«X)). 

The  town  revenue,  according  to  the  estimates  for  1897 — 1899.  amounts  to 
R.  110,000  annually.  For  purposes  of  trade  and  industry  the  following  banks 
operate  in  Omsk:  a  branch  of  the  State  Bank,  the  Omsk  town  and  jntblic 
Bank,  the  Siberian  Trade  Bank.  The  most  important  firms  are: 

Volkov  tor  manufactured  ai-iides  and  trinki-ts:  Sobennikov  an<l  Brothers 
Molchiinov.  tea  and  sugar:  Serebriakov.  tobacco  manufai-tory:  Xeidlinger.  sew- 
ing machines;  Bostanzhoglo,  tobacco;  .Mexiindrov.  bookshop;  Bebenin.  drug- 


198  GUIDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  KAII.WAY. 

gist  and  apothecary;  Borodin,  timber:  YerofV-ev.  wine:  Ziiitsev.  u-rocery  wares 
and  wine:  M(''rin,  officers'outfitter;  Poklevsky- Kozell,  win(>:  Remennikov, 
baker:  Zhanin,  iiaberdashers:  ShriMn'.  ditto:  Chirikov,  tea.  novernnient  stores 
of  agricultural  machinery. 

Transport  offices:  St.  Petersburg  Xadezhda  Society:  Brothers  Kamenskx: 
Russian  Insurance  and  Goods  Transport  Society.  The  freights  per  inid  with- 
out insurance  are  R.  2  to  St.  Petersburg.  R.  1.  SO  K.  to  Moscow.  R.  2.  .50  K 
to  Vilno.  R.  2.  20  K.  to  Warsaw. 

Hotels  and  furnished  rooms:  Shchepfinov's  rooms  for  travellers  from  R  l 
to  u.  2  a  day.  Zaitsev's  rooms  are  the  best:  they  are  newly  opened.  provide<i 
with  water  and  good  dinners  and  cost  from  75  K.  to  R.  3  a  day.  Next  lollnw 
Veselovsky's.  Yodzinsky's,  Sametnikov's.  The  price  is  from  R.  1  to  R.  l.  50  K 
a  day.  Hackney  coach  tariff: 

First  class  (open  and  closed  carriages  wth  two  horses")  75  K.  an  hour, 
drive  within  the  limit  of  the  town  costs  30  K.  Second  class  fa  kind  of  victo- 
ria and  little  carts  with  springs'),  in  winter  20  K.  an  hour,  in  summer  25  K. 
Drive  in  a  fir.st  class  coach  to  the  railway  station  of  Omsk  costs  R.l.  second 
class  carriage — 75  K.  and  third  class — .50  K.  Drive  to  military  camp  and  tn 
wood  out  of  town  costs  there  and  back  50  K  for  first  class  coach.  HO  K.  fur 
second  class  and  25  K.  for  third  class. 

The  first  visit  of  an  Imperial  personage  to  the  military  territory  must  In- 
mentioned  as  an  historical  event  in  the  life  of  the  town  and  of  the  Siberian 
Cossack  line.  In  1868.  His  Imperial  Highness  the  Grand  r>uke  Yladiniir  Alex- 
;indrovich  accompanied  by  .\djutant-General  Count  Percivsky  and  the  Acade- 
mician Middendorf.  from  the  8  to  the  22  June  honoured  with  his  visit  the  fol- 
lowing centres  of  population  in  the  Siberian  Cossack  troops  territory:  enter- 
ing within  its  confines  at  the  settlement  of  Peschanoe.  His  Highness  proceed- 
ed along  the  Presnogorkovskaya.  Gorskaya,  Irtysh  and  Bakhtarmin  Cossack 
lines  through  Petropavlovsk.  Omsk.  Pavlodar.  Semipalatinsk,  Ust-Kann'iin 
gorsk.  Bukhtarminsk. 

Prom  the  14  to  16  July,  in  1801.  the  town  of  Omsk  was  honoured  by  th' 
visit  of  His  Imperial  Majesty  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II.  then  Heir 
.\pparent  to  the  throne,  on  his  way  from  the  Far  East.  The  Imperial  travel- 
ler arrived  in  Omsk  on  the  14  July,  coming  from  Tobolsk  by  the  Irtysh  on 
the  steamer  Nicholas.  His  Majesty  was  greeted  at  the  landing  place  in  an 
elegant  ijavilion  by  Baron  Taube,  Governor-General  of  the  Steppe  region, 
and  by  Dmitriev-Mamonov.  Yice-Governor  of  the  .\kmolinsk  territory,  actinu' 
as  governor,  with  town  deputations  of  all  classes  and  representatives  of  thr 
societies. 

On  tlie  first  day.  His  Imperial  Majesty  visited  the  Omsk  gyniiiasium  Icr 
girls  and  the  children's  home,  where  the  august  guest  was  greeted  by  Baron- 
ess Taube,  wife  of  the  Steppe  Governor-General,  the  president  of  the  chari- 
table society  under  the  patronage  of  Her  Majesty  the  Empress,  and  Mrs 
Dmitriev-Mamonov.  the  patroness  of  the  home,  the  members  of  the  Society 
together  with  the  lady  patronesses.  On  the  same  day  was  held  a  review  ot 
three  cavalry  regiments  of  the  Siberian  Cossack  troops,  of  the  Omsk  reservr 
battalion,  and  of  three  squads  from  the  Siberian  Cadet  Corps. 

On  the  15  July,  the  Imperial  .\taman  of  all  the  Cossack  troops,  after  ha- 
ving attended  divine  service  celebrated  in  the  military  cethedral  on  the  na- 
mesday  of  His  Imperial  Highness  the  Grand  Duke  Madimir  Alexandrovich 
was  present   at  the   military    nobles'club,    members   of   the   military    admini- 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


199 


stratiiiii  and  settlement  atamans.  After  a  gala  liincli  in  the  l)iiil(lini;  ol  the 
Military  Economic  Deiiartment.  to  which  were  invited  jtenerals,  staff  and 
siihaltein  officers,  officials  of  the  military  class,  representatives  from  the 
settlements  and  honorary  guests,  the  Imperial  traveller  made  a  trip  on  the 
Irtysh,  landing  on  its  left  bank  in  order  to  inspect  a  Kireiz  winter  camp, 
where  a  deputation  IVom  the  Kirgiz  Ste])i)e  region  had  the  honour  to  otter  to 
His  lnii»eriai  Majesty,  according  to  local  cusioin.  kumys  instead  of  l)readan(i 
salt.  Hei-e  the  high  officials  and  honorary  Kirgiz  were  presented  to  His  Ma- 
jesty. .\t  8  o'clock  in  the  evening,  races  took  place  on  the  ground  of  the  Ra- 
cing Society,  arranged  with  a  view  to  acquaint  the  Imperial  traveller  with 
the  steppe  horses,  which  form  one  of  the  essential  elements  of  the  local 
wealth.  .\t  the  entrance  to  the  pavilion.  His  Imperial  Majesty  was  greeted 
by  limitriev-Mamonov.  Vice-president  of  the  Racing  Society,  and  all  the  mem- 
bers. Upon  the  termination  of  the  races.  His  Majesty  jiersonally  distributed 
the  prizes  won  by  the  horse  owners,  adding  to  the  first  prize  a  gold  watch 
and  chain.  Having  graciously  accepted  a  copy  of  Ihe  records  of  the  activity 
of  the  Racing  Society  for  1S87— ISSl  with  a  description  of  the  horse  studs 
in  the  steppe  region,  His  Majesty  addres  ed  his  thanks  to  timi'triev-Mamo- 
nov.  the  Vice-president,  for  the  entertainment,  and  praised  the  good  order  and 
arranirenients  of  the  r.ici's    .\ftor  li'.winu-  tho  r,i\]y^,.   His  Majesty  visited  the 


Workshops  at  the  Omsk  station.  General  view. 


camp  of  the  Siberian  Cadet  Corps  of  the  Omsk  reserve  battalion,  and  the 
summer  club  of  the  officers.  Xt  11  o'clock,  the  Imperial  party  quitted  the 
camp  accompanied  by  prolonged  and  enthusiastic  hurrahs,  and  drove  alonir 
the  illuminated  streets  to  the  house  of  the  Governor-General.  On  the  IS  July, 
at  10  o'clock  in  the  morning,  was  laid  the  first  stone  for  the  cathedral  in 
honour  of  Christ's  .\scension.  in  presence  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  who.  af- 
ter the  ceremony.  left  Omsk  by  the  post-road,  proceeding  along  the  Presno- 
gorkovskaya  Siberian  Cossack  line,  to  the  Orenbiirg  government.  The  station 


200 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


of  (husk  holds  an  iniiiiu'lniit  |ihu-i'  in  ihc  W'cst-Silx'rian  railN\,-i,v  liin'  cm  ac- 
ccuiut  of  its  iliinc'iisions:  Ije.sides  tliu  passoiijiers'  .sUition,  there  are  over  70 
Iniihiiugs  loi'  the  reiiuirenients  of  the  railway.  Here  are  the  chief  worl<sho|)s 
and  stor(>s  foi-  railway  materials,  an  extensive  engine  house  and  a  hospital. 
Fifty  one  housi^s  afford  accomodation  for  the  railway  employees.  A  large 
stone  church  in  honour  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  to  hold  750  people,  is  being 
ercH'ted  near  the  station  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  .Vlexander  III  fund. 

A  donation  of  R.  10,000  has  been  made  by  the  honorary  citizen  A.  I.  l>e- 
rov  towards  the  expenses  of  the  coustruction  of  this  idiurch. 

A  special  wooden  building  contains  a  parish  school  with  two  classes  for 
boys  and  girls  (73  boys,  42  girls),  under  the  control  of  the  Ministry  of  Edu- 
cation; it  is  maintained  at  the  cost  of  the  railway.  A  parish  school  lor  girls 
has  also  been  founded.  Lectures  are  held  on  Sundays  in  the  large  rooms  of 
the  railway  schools.  Ujion  the  opening  of  traffic  on  the  West-Siberian  rail- 
way in  1894,  two  settlements  were  established  on  the  ground  belonging  to 
tho  station  and  on  the  adjacent  land  of  the  Siberian  Cossack  troops,  for  rail- 
way servants  and  Cossacks.  The  Tsar's  settlement  has  grown  rapidly:  it 
stands  on  the  Omsk  Cossack  land  contiguous  to  the  station  and  is  inhabited 
by  Cossacks  from  neighbouring  settlements  and  from  the  town  of  Omsk.  The 
population  of  the  Omsk  station  inclusive  of  the  adjacent  settlements  exceeds 
8,000.  A  branch  line  of  3V2  versts  runs  from  the  station  to  the  town  of  Omsk, 
conveying  i>assengers  and  workmen,  and  also  goods  brou.ght  by  the  Irtysh. 
Besides  the  main  track,  the  station  has  several  sidings  to  meet  the  neces- 
sities of  its  extensive  operations:  a  passenger  way  3(X).31  sazhens  long,  a 
goods  way  959.47  sazhens  long,  a  turnout  way  3,166.64  sazhens  long,  a  trac- 
tion way  1,320.14  sazhens,  a  workshops  way  3,953.24  sazhens,  an  emigrants 
way  i:^0  sazhens  long,  a  way  for  conveyin:.;-  materials  130  sazhens. 


Workshops  at  the  station  of  Onisk.  FounUty  and  Forge. 


.\  medical  and  feeding  station,  witli  barracks  accomodating  1,500  people, 
is  established  near   the  station.  When  the  movement   is  at  its  height,  about' 
3.500  emigrants    meet  at    this  point,    and  Kirgiz   yi'irtas  are  then    erected  for 
ihi'in.  This  station,  situated  as   it  is    at  the  Junction  id'  the  rail\v;iy  line  with 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  RMLWAY. 


•20] 


the  roads,  serves  as  a  sUige  for  the  settlers  bound  for  the  Omsk  and  Aknio- 
linsk  districts,  for  the  south-eastern  i>art  of  the  Tobolsk  srovernnient.  tlie  ili- 
strii-ts  of  Tiukalinsk  and  Tara  and  the  Seniireehensk  territory. 

Beinir  favourably  situated  at  tlie  Junetioii  of  water  eoininunication  and 
railways,  the  Omsk  station  represents  an  important  lransshipi>inir  and  ware- 
housing centre  for  the  south-eastern  portion  of  the  Kirgiz  steppe,  and  has 
the  same  signifacance  in  this  resrion  as  is  possessed  by  Petropavlovsk  in  the 
Western  Steppe  district. 

The  ([uantity  of  goods  exported  annually  from  this  station  exceeds  a  mil- 
lion puds.  Half  the  total  amount  is  represented  by  grain,  the  iither  consisting 
of  animal  products.  In  istfs.  the  export  of  grain  conveyed  frtmi  this  station 
to  the  interior  markets  of  the  Empire  was  given  at  490,373  puds.  The  export 
of  animal  jiroducts  is  exhibited  by  the  following  data  obtained  from  the  ve- 
terinary ins|)ection  of  the  .\kincilinsk  territoi-y  for  1S97: 


Governments. 


Irj'iiliurir 

■it.  Petersburg  . . 

'enza 

S'izhni  Xovgorod 

'erm 

kloscow 

t'eniseisk    

ievel 

>dessa  

Vlexandrciv 

t'ladiinir 

'>iziiim 

■eonidovka  

'achehnii 

Taganrog 

.ibiiva 

«ga 

)elostok 

■•etroiiavlovsk  . . 
ierdnviish  


Frcsli  meat. 


Pud 


6.447   1,(12,5     70.550 


2..5(X) 


— 

— 

3,790 



1,970 

200 

329 

— 

— 

— 

1.53,.')25 

41.(100 

1,2(X) 


6,340 


Raw  Hides. 


2  \      ~^ 

3  I     ^  § 


348 

3,774 

,_ 

— 

250 

— 

420 

910 

— 

4,619 

9.673 

31 

— 

1,300 

263 

7,205 

— 

.5.139 

621 

20 

20 

— 

36.650 

3,042 



22,115 

24,»S'^ 

474 

4'i" 

l,500j  — 

7OT 

4,(XJ0 

5,7tX) 

46.765 

1,055 


16,330 
4.6(K) 


9.022 
3,12.H 

,SIH) 
^(.1 "  Hi 

25.0.')( 
356,039 


Wool. 


Puds. 


3 1. .520 


5,936 
9ai 


5,392 
3,258 


22,43(i 


—  62 

—  .50 


32 


121,  27 


I 
-i     23 

-I    1=« 


2,065 
I   282 

3.5 


—  180 


-      116 


1,224 


Total . 


22,.53Gi  1,225;  275,11K) 


70,033|  55,183  505i481. 223 


69  943|1.59|139 


ioo4,y;W|— ,180 


202 


firiDK  Til  THK  GRl-.AT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


The  cattlo  exportod  ;is  fresh  meat  to  the  western  niai'kets  af(>  mainly 
slaiitihtereil  in  Omslc;  in  18itS  there  were  19,,S4li  head.  This  tii^ure  remained 
the  same  in  the  following  year.s.  The  animal  |iriMhii-c>  is  lirduiilii  to  ihe  sta- 
tion  fi-iiiii   thr  distant   parts  nf  fhi'   Kinsiv.  strppi' 


Workshops  at  the  Omsk   station.  Turningshop. 

The  river  Irtysh  (in  Mongol  Irtsis)  is  tlie  left  and  chief  tributary  of  the 
(»b.  taking  its  rise  within  tlie  confines  of  China  on  the  south-western  slope 
of  the  southern  Altai  from  two  sources  the  Ak-Irtysh  and  Kun-Irtysh  or 
Black  Irtysh  so  called  on  account  of  its  turbid  and  black  water.  Flowing  from 
east  to  west  a  distance  of  700  versts,  the  Black  Irtysh  falls  into  the  Like 
Zaisan-Xor,  lying  between  47'60'  and  48^30'  N.  lat.  and37°R.  long,  in  an  open, 
elevated  and  even  plain  amidst  the  Altai,  the  Kolbinsk  and  Tarbagatai  moun- 
tain ridges,  at  an  elevation  of  1,8(X)  feet  above  the  sea,  covering  a  super- 
ficial area  of  1,608  square  versts. 

The  Black  Irtysh  flows,  within  Russian  territory,  from  the  source  of  the 
Alkabek  to  its  junction  with  the  Zaisan  for  a  distance  of  about  120  versts, 
while  its  upper  reaches  water  the  Chinese  dominions.  Throughout  its  entire 
course,  there  are  no  permanent  settlements;  the  whole  region  is  occu|iied 
solely  by  Kirgiz  nomads,  and  only  at  a  distance  of  about  25  versts  from  the 
river,  at  the  Altai  chain,  where  the  river  Kran  falls  into  the  Irtysh,  stands 
the  small  Chinese  town  of  Tiilta.  Along  the  sandy  banks  of  the  river  grow 
poplar,  willow,  and  birch.  The  river  is  navigable  for  flat-bottomed  steamers 
from  laice  Zaisan  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kran;  further  it  is  not  pi'aeticable  on 
account  of  the  low  water  level,  which  in  autunui  falls  considerably. 

The  Black  Irtysh,  within  the  Russian  territorry,  has  two  ferryboat  pas- 
sages, at  the  mouths  of  the  rivers  Kaldzhif  and  Alkabek,  and  three  within  the 
Chinese  Empire,  at  those  of  the  rivers  Bili/.i'k,  Kabaand  Burgum.  The  banks 
of  all  the  right  tributaries  of  the  Irtysh,  taking  their  rise  in  the  Alt;ii  moun- 
tains, are  clad  with  a  rich  coniferous  vegetation  of  larch,  cedar,  fir  and 
pine,  which  can  afford  a  large  quantity  of  timber  for  future  exploitation  by 
means  of  rafting.  In  the  contiguous  Saiir   chain,  occur   deposits  of  black   and 


TKE  WEST  SIBERIAN  UAIlVaY.  203 

liriAvn  coal,  fiuinil  nii  limh  sidrs  of  the  Iveml.vrlyk.  Tlie  iiuality  of  tlio  coal 
has  not  yet  hci'ii  tcstiMi.  ami  it  has  Ix^on  very  little  workoil.  being  only  used 
to  supply  the  town  of  Zaisan.  The  coal  seams  are  close  to  the  surface  and 
are  easily  workiMJ  The  coal-pits  belong-  to  the  inhal)itants  of  Zaisan:  Titov. 
Khokhlov  and  tlu'  Kok|iektinsk  merchant  Proskuriakov'.  Near  the  picturesque 
lake  Marka-Kiil.  lyinir  at  au  ahsolutc  altitude  of  5,700  feet  and  giving  rise  to 
thi'  Kald/.hir  river,  the  right  tributary  of  the  Black  Irtysh,  are  found  gold 
mini's  now  jirimitively  worked  by  Kirgiz  workmen.  They  belong  to  Moskvin, 
Diiikov,  Stepanov.  Sizov,  Valitov  and  Menovshchikov,  and  have  an  annual 
output  of  3—4  puds  of  gold.  Fishin,g  is  more  extensively  carried  on  in  China 
than  in  the  Russian  dominions. 

At  its  outflow  from  the  north-westei-n  bay  of/the  large  lake,  the  river, 
there  150  sazhens  wide,  receivi-s  the  name  of  Irtysh.  liunning  northwards,  it 
traverses  first  steppe  plain  which  gradually  jiasses  into  abroad  ste|)pe  valley, 
bordered  by  the  mountain  ridges  ol  the  Altai.  The  river  leaves  the  Zaisan, 
rolling  its  turbid  and  sluggish  waves  between  low,  reed-covered  banks;  at  the 
27S  verst  from  the  lake,  it  receives  the  tribute  of  the  Bukhtarma,  and  furth- 
er on,  meeting  the  mountain  mass  of  the  western  branches  of  the  Alt;'ii. 
bre.'iks  thi'oiigh  them  by  a  narrow  and  picturesque  gorge.  Before  reaching  the 
mouth  of  th(>  Bukhtarma,  the  mountains  at  a  few  points  touch  the  river;  5  versts 
further,  the  Irtysh  enters  a  desert  defile  which  continues  to  Ust-Kamenogorsk. 
The  steep  and  rocky  cliffs  falling  to  the  water's  edge  consist  mainly  of  clayey 
slates,  but  partly  of  granite,  while  in  some  places  they  are  veined  with  dio- 
rite.  The  pass  contains  the  cliffs  known  under  the  name  of  the  Seven  Broth- 
ers. Beyond  the  mouth  of  the  small  river  Ognevka,  one  of  the  cliffs  standing 
on  the  shore  is  called  Petiikh  (the  Cock)  and  is  very  remarkable  on  account 
of  its  shape  and  the  echo  which  it  yields  to  every  sound.  Near  Ust-Kameno- 
gorsk, the  Irtysh  leaves  the  defile  and  enters  an  open  plain  accompanied  to 
Semipalatinsk  by  the  low  ridges  of  the  Ubeik  and  ITbeik  mountains.  The  right 
bank  of  the  rivei-  is  at  some  iioints  high  and  steep,  mainly  consisting  of  slates. 
while  the  left  bank  is  level  and  sandy.  Between  the  mouth  of  the  Shulba  and 
Seniipaliitinsk.  lies  the  only  wooded  locality  on  the  middle  reaches  of  the 
Irtysh,  called  the  .^hulbinsk  and  Karagiii  forest.  From  Semipalatinsk,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Semitiin,  which  is  seen  at  a  considerable  distance  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Irtysh,  its  left  bank  is  level,  whereas  the  right  is  high  and  steep, 
rising  to  an  elevation  of  200  feet;  it  consists  of  horizontal  strata  of  clay  and 
sand  containing  fresh-water  shells  of  the  upper  tertiary  formation.  The  bottom 
of  the  rivep  is  sandy  and  in  places  muddy;  it  has  a  depth  ot  8  to  12  sazhens 
and  is  from  50o  to  700  sazhens  wide.  During  the  spring  flood,  the  water  rises 
from  4  to  tj  sazhens  above  its  ordinary  level,  and  covers  immense  areas  of 
land.  Throughout  its  course,  there  are  many  islands  and  shifting  bars.  The 
Irtysh  abounds  in  fish,  and  fishing  is  largely  carried  on  between  T(d)6lsk 
and  the  estuary  of  the  river,  and  also  between  Omsk  and  the  Lake  Zaisan. 

The  princijial  fish  are  sterlet,  sturgeon  and  nelma.  The  course  of  the 
Irtysh  is  tortuous:  the  greatest  curve  occurs  below  the  mouth  of  the  Vagal, 
and  is  called  the  Vagal  Bemi.  The  total  length  of  the  i-iver  exceeds  4,0(X)  versts;its 
system  comprises  al)out  1,2.50  large  and  small  streams.  Among  Siberian  riv- 
ers, the  Irtysh  holds  the  fourth  place  and  is  the  largest  river  in  Western 
Siberia.  Within  the  confines  of  the  Russian  dominions,  the  Irtysh  waters  the 
most  fertile  regions  of  the  Semii)al;ltinsk  territory,  part  of  thatof  AkmoKnsk 
and  all  the  Tobolsk  government. 


204 


guiih:  to  the  great  Siberian  railway. 


Ainonir  Silirriaii  rivers,  the  li-tysh  is  very  impmlaiit  tm  arciuiiil  of  its 
ravmiralile  geoi^raphical  position, a  nd  also  the  great  luiiiilier  of  ti-iluitarii^s  ilrain- 
iiii!:  into  its  lower  stream  and  coniieeting  its  cmirse  witli  tlie  ivaina  i)asin  in 
the  watin-shed  of  Ihc  l'r:il  diain  i  h-eiipNing  a  eeiitrai  position  in  Western 
Siberia,  this  river  from  the  town  of  ToixJlslc  presents  a  most  e.Ktensive  water 
comniunic-ation  running  in  four  directions:  northwards  to  the  Ocean,  east- 
wards to  Eastern  Siberia,  soutwards  to  the  western  border  of  China  and  to 
the  Russian  Central  Asiatic  dominions,  and  westwards  to  European  ]{iissi;i. 
Flowing  tlirough  many  longitudes  witli  a  X.  X.  W.  direction  from  its  source 
to  Tobolsk,  the  Irtysh  is  bound  or  free  of  ice  according  to  the  latitudes  it 
traverses.  At  Tomsk,  the  ice  breaks  between  the  14  and24  April  and  the  water 
freezes  again  about  the  20  October  and  the  15  Xovember.  In  Semipalatinsk, 
the  river  is  free  from  ice  for  21.5  days,  at  Tara  for  190  days,  at  Tobolsk  for 
1S9  days.  The  Irtysh  is  divided  into  two  separate  systems,  with  quite  different 
imporatnce  as  to  trade.  The  lower  reaches  of  the  river,  from  the  town  of 
Tobolsk  to  the  settlement  of  Samarovo,  with  the  rivers  Tura,  Tobol  and  Ob, 
form  an  uninterrupted  transit  water-way  between  the  towns  of  Biisk,  Barnaul. 
Tomsk  on  the  east,  and  Tiumen  and  Irbi't  on  the  west.  One  part  of  the  river, 
south  of  Tobolsk,  offers  a  separate  vv-ater-way  leading  into  the  interior  of  the 
southern  steppes  and  further  to  nothern  l>zhung,-\ria.  Steam  navigation  on  the 
Irtysh  began  at  the  same  time  as  navigation  in  Western  Siberia,  viz.  in  1884. 
The  Irtysh  has  no  specially  organised  fleet;  all  the  steamers  and  other  craft 
plying  within  its  basin  belong  to  the  fleet  of  the  whole  of  the  vast  Ob  basin. 
According  to  the  data  obtained  from  the  Tomsk  r>e|iai'tment  of  Ways  of 
Communication,  during  1898— 1899.  the  trading  fleet  of  the  Ob  basin  contained: 


llil 

witli 

tola 

1 

*i 

)» 

1 

» 

,, 

2 

.. 

„ 

•^ 

,, 

„ 

2 

J' 

y 

1 

w 

„ 

^ 

f 

y 

12 

.. 

., 

2 

„ 

„ 

IS 

,, 

r 

15 

w 

J> 

1 

r 

n 

0 

» 

„ 

8 

n 

„ 

9 

» 

» 

6 

„ 

„ 

5 

« 

„ 

4 

„ 

w 

15 

" 

•' 

The 

impn 

rompan> 

(foi 

the 

firm 

of    I'l 

OTHER  VESSELS. 

380  vessels,  with  a  tonnagi 
17.000,(K10  puds. 
8  barges:  10(),(Mii)to 


about 


STEAMERS. 

of 7750  H.  P. 

„   250  H.  P. 

180  H.  P. 

160  H.  P. 

.,   150  H.  P. 

„  i;iO  H.  P. 

„   125  H.  P. 

120  H.  P. 

liXi  H.  P. 

„  85  H.  P. 

SO  H.  P. 

„  GO  H.  P. 

„  55  H.  P. 

„  .50  H.  P. 

„  45  H.  P. 

„   40  H.  P. 

„   30  H.  P. 

, 25  H.  P. 

20  H.  P. 

(>  to  20  II.  P 


rtant  shijiowners  are  represented  by  the  West-Siberian  S.  S.' 
•merly  Kurb;itov  and  Ignatov),  Kornilov.  the  Bogoslov  works,- 
(Jtnikov,  the  Trapi'/nikov  ("'.  the  Joint  stock  company  Yernuik. 


32 
62 
44 
60 
42 
62 
15 
20 
24 
4 


80,(K)0 
60,000 
50.000 
40,000 

.■?u,ooo 

20,000 

i5.oa) 
lo.ajo 

below 


110.ui):i  pud> 

1  lO.uu  I  .. 

80,00«.)  ,. 

90,0CX)  .. 

.50,01  K)  „ 

40,000  .. 

;»,(Wo  „ 

20,000  ■  „ 

15,000  „ 

lO.OiX")  .. 


for  conveyance 
and  convicts. 


I'ccruits 


THE  WEST  SIBERI.VN  RAILWAY.  -20 'j 

Till'  slcanu'i's  I'm-  tlic  Silicrian  livers  art>  l)iiill  iii.iiiils  ai  llu'  Zliahiiisk 
works,  Tiiiiiu'ii.  helnniriiiir  tn  luirbalov  ami  luiifiiov,  al  lliillcfs  works  and 
alsci  in  tlie  IVrm  wnrks  «>l'  l.iiiliinuiv  and  Mniovilkinsky.  The  steamers  i)uilt 
to  the  west  of  the  L'ral  are  hruught  to  TiuiiKMi  in  pieces  and  are  fitted  there. 
Goods  are  conveyed  aloni;  the  rivers  by  tufis;  this  system  is  aiso  adapted  lor 
tlie  conveyance  of  passengers  and  nuick  freights.  The  construction  of  the 
vessels  is  very  various:  the  prediiiuinatini;-  type  is  that  of  the  Volga  wo- 
oden barge,  somewhat  altered  and  smaller.  They  are  built  in  Tiuuien.  on  the 
river  Tavda.  in  the  town  td'  Tara  and  on  tin-  ui»|>er  part  of  the  Ob,  and 
niainl.\'  l)elong  to  the  same  steamer-owners.  The  navigation  season  betweeu 
Tiunu-n  and  Tomsk  lasts  during  foui'  months:  under  favourable  conditions, 
the  passage  of  a  steamer  in  tow  takes  18  to  22  da>s.  Thus,  the  steamers  of 
the  Irtysh-Ob  line  make  only  about  3  trips  during  the  season.  The  passenger 
steamers,  with  one  or  two  barges  in  tow  make  the  passage  rrmn  Tiimit'ii  to 
Tomsk  in  13  days,  and  return  in  7  or  10  days. 

The  navigation  from  Tobolsk  southwards  by  the  Irtysh  reaches  only  the 
town  of  Semijialatinsk.  Further  south,  between  Semipalatinsk  and  Lake  Zai- 
siin,  and  also  on  this  lake  and  the  Black  Irtysh,  there  is  no  steam  commu- 
nication either  for  goods  oi'  passengers.  On  this  i)art  id'  the  river,  the  navi- 
gation season  is  longer.  In  spring,  the  steamers  reach  Semipali'itinsk,  in  niid- 
suiuimr  they  come  only  as  far  as  the  Cossack  village  of  Cliernoyfusk.  whence 
g<Mids  are  brought  from  Semipalatinsk  in  small  vessels. 

The  unsatisfactory  organisation  of  the  navigation  on  tlie  rivers  of  the  Ob 
basin.  inadei|uate  for  the  demands  of  the  goo()s  traftic.  reacts  unfavourably 
upim  the  export  trade  and  the  economic  develo[>nient  of  the  country.  The 
shippers  are  never  sure  of  exporting  the  total  supply  of  goods  and  of  deliv- 
ering them  at  the  appointed  time.  This,  together  with  the  constant  fluctu- 
ation of  the  freight  rates,  has  also  a  pernicious  intUience  upon  local  trade 
and  industry.  The  time  and  the  tariti'  foi'  the  transport  of  goods  is  fixed  by 
the  shipowners  and  entirely  depend  upon  their  discretion.  However,  they  do 
not  assume  the  responsibility  for  safe  and  due  delivery.  The  freights  in 
force  during  the  time  of  navigatiim  are  not  tixeil  beforehand:  they  depend 
mainly  on  the  nuantity  of  water  in  the  rivers  Tura  and  T<ib(d,  and  vary  ac- 
cording to  the  <leniand.  'in  the  Volga,  the  transport  of  goods  costs  3  or  4 
times  less  than  in  Siberia. 

The  lower  stream  of  the  Irtysh,  connected  with  the  waterways  of  the  Ob 
basin,  plays  an  important  jiart  in  the  trade  and  industry  of  Siberia,  being 
the  chief  waterway  feeding  the  Perm-TiunK-n  railway  connected  with  the 
Volga  basin  and  the  Port  of  Aridifmgel.  Its  upper  part,  flowing  south  of  the 
(ireat  Siberian  main  line,  will  also  in  the  near  future  bring  new  life  into 
the  thinl.N  poimlated  and  hardly  civilised  countries  of  Central  Asia.  Upon  the 
opening  of  traffic  on  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  the  upper  Irtysh  aciiuires 
the  importance  of  a  cheap  and  convenient  communication  destined  to  enlarge 
the  jiroduetive  capacity  of  the  southern  Kirgi/.  stejipe  borderland  and  of  the 
region  at  the  foot  of  the  Altai,  and  also  to  promote  Russian  trade  with  west- 
ern China  or  lizhungaria,  with  western  Mongolia  the  Tian-Shan  region  and 
the  more  distant  Chinese  provinces.  The  route  across  the  Zaisan  by  the  Black 
Irtysh  to  Mongolia  was  deemed  worthy  of  attention  even  in  1863;  expeditions 
for  its  exploration  were  organised  in  1S71  and  1879,  but  without  any  ])recise 
results.  It  is  only  recently,  in  isiiti  that  the  engineer,  Haron  .\minov,  mana- 
ger of  the  Tomsk  lieiiaitiiieiii  of  Ways  of  Communication,  having  iiersonally 


206  ainm:  to  the  great  Siberian  railway. 

i'\|ili)rr(l    the    i-dutc    to    the    Zaisan    diu-intr    yovy    low    water    on    llir  li'txsh, 
acknowledircd  tlip  possihilty  of  navigation  as  far   as    tlie    lieadwatiTs    of  the 
IrtNsh  and  tiiroiighoiit  its  (>ntire  course,  witiiin  the   confines  of  the   Russian  "■ 
dominions,  viz,  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Alivabeiv. 

The  trade  of  western  China  and  Mongolia  centres  in  the  following  towns: 
Chuguchiik,  Urumchi,  Manas,  Guchen  and  Kobdo.  These  points  are  reached 
by  a  post,  road,  crossing  the  town  of  Sergiopol,  the  Cossack  village  of  Ud- 
zharsk  and  Hakhtin  fort.  The  town  of  Kol)do  is  connected  by  the  Ii'tysh  with 
the  mouth  of  th(»  Bukhtarma,  and  further  l)y  a  highway  running  over  the 
summit  of  UhJn-Daba  and  along  the  valley  of  the  river  Erikh. 

The  establishment  of  a  navigable  way  through  the  Zaisan-Xor,  b,\'  the 
Black  Irtysh,  would  greatly  facilitate  the  trading  relations  which  are  at  pre- 
sent maintained  by  a  difficult  caravan  route.  The  chief  articles  of  import  to 
China  are  grain,  vegetables,  dry  fruit,  flax,  seeds,  hides,  manufactureii  arti- 
cles, iron,  iron  w'ares,  lump  sugar,  honey,  stearine  and  tallow  candles.  The 
exports  are  fruit,  nuts,  horsehair,  tea.  carpets,  silk  stufts,  china,  wool 
and  cattle. 

The  Zyrianov  mining  compan\',  together  with  some  steamship  companies, 
contemplate  the  exploitation  of  the  ui>per  Irtysh,  by  building  steamers  on 
the  Volga  system.  They  require  little  water  and  are  provided  with  a  large 
paddle-wheel.  The  success  of  this  enterprise  is  much  to  be  desired  for  the 
opening  up  and  development  of  new  markets  in  Mongolia. 

Landing  places  on  the  Irtysh  at  the  town  of  Omsk: 

West-Siberian  Steamship  Company,  Trapeznikov  Company. 

The  river  (Jm.  which  is  a  right  tributary  of  the  Irtysh.  takes  its  rise  in 
the  swamps  of  Yasiugansk.  in  the  Tomsk  government.  The  breadth  of  its  bed 
is  from  20  to  40  sazhens;  here  are  numerous  pools  and  holes  in  its  l)ottoin, 
and  the  current  is  very  slow.  The  banks  are  steep,  but  in  spring  the  river 
tloods  the  surrounding  meadows.  Wood  for  building  and  fuel  is  floated  down 
this  riv(>r  from  the  Kainsk  district  to  the  town  of  Omsk,  as  are  also  sometimes 
Ijarges  with  grain.  After  some  fortresses  were  built  along  the  upper 
Irtysh,  in  the  XVlll  century,  the  Dzhungars  considered  Om  as  the  frontier  of 
Siberia.  From  the  station  of  Omsk,  the  railway  line  runs  along  the  Om. 

21)  Kormllovka.  V  class  (790  v.).  Tobolsk  government.  Tiukalinsk  di- 
sti-ict.  Tile  settlement  of  Kormllovka  (i)op.  l.SO)  is  situated  IS  versts  off.  The 
emigrants  have  established  a  settlement  near  the  station,  .\lthough  tiie  sta- 
tion is  situated  in  proximity  to  Omsk,  it  is  a  centre  of  grain  export.  In  18!»S, 
12,o:3o  puds  of  wheat  were  forwarded  from  here  to  Revel  and  Libava. 

22)  Kaldehinskaya.  V  class  (819  v.).  The  settlement  of  Kalachiki  is 
situateil  at  a  distiiiii-e  of  2  versts  (pop.  400).  Within  the  range  of  influence 
of  the  station,  are  a  nuinlier  of  settlements  and  villages  with  a  population  of 
5,000.  From  here  are  forw-arded  annuall.\'  about  100,000  puds  of  goods,  mainly 
grain,  to  the  western  markets  of  the  Empire.  In  1898,  were  exported  81,162  puds  j, 
of  wheat  and  oats. 

24)  Tatirskaya.  IV  class.  Butfet  (90.H  v.).  Kainsk  district,  Tomsk  govern- 
ment. The  country  is  swamjiy  and  infested  with  fever.  The  water  is  bad, 
supplied  by  a  pond  formed  by  spring  and  bog  water.  A  wooden  church  has 
been  erected  near  the  station  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  III  fund, 
holding  200  jioople.  It  was  inau.gurated  on  the  27  May,  1897,  in  h<inour  of  the 
.\rchistrategus  Michael.  .\ear  the  church,  there  is  a  house  made  of  lirick  for 
the  accomodation  of  newly  ari'ived  parishioners,  and  a  wooden  house  for  the 


-t: 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


207 


i'l(>r,ii:y.  Tae  is  also  a  jiarish  clfmentary  school  with  niic  <-lass  for  hoys  aiul 
•lirls  in  tho  name  of  tlie  arclipricst  John  Sopiriev.  a  lut'dical  and  fepding  sta- 
tion with  haiTacks  lioldinjr  3(K(  people,  hn-  (he  accomodation  of  the  emigrants 
settlinir  in  the  Kainsk  district,  and  a  depot  of  agricultural  machinery. 


Church  near  the  station  of  Tatirskaya. 


The  settlement  of  Tatarskoc  is  one  and  a  half  versts  from  the  station: 
within  range  of  the  station  there  are  1.5  settlements  with  a  poimlation  of 
10,(K"M1  situated  in  a  locality  which  is  favourable  to  agriculture  and  cattle- 
hreeding.  The  region  contains  the  butter  manufactories  of  ]^Iariiipolsky. 
Padin.  Soshovsky,  Popel  and  M'ciss  producing  annually  about  15,ii(hi  puds  of 
cream  l)utter.  which  is  conveyed  by  the  railway  to  the  interior  markets  of 
the  Kmpire.  From  this  station,  about  .-{rKVHK)  puds  of  goods  as  well  as  jioultry 
are  forwarded  annually  to  St.  Petersburg  and  Moscow. 

2.T)  Karachi.  V  class  (9.52  v.).  The  locality  is  swami)y,  girded  by  birch 
copses.  Water  is  got  from  Lake  Artugan,  situated  within  a  verst  and  half 
from  the  station,  the  water  is  clear  and  has  a  good  taste.  From  1896.  the 
settlement  of  Xovo-Pokrov  (pop.  •WD  was  established  near  the  station  l),\ 
emigrants  from  the  Oriol  government. 

The  settlement  of  Karachi  with  a  population  of  2,iK)0  is  at  a  distance  of 
80  ver.sts.  The  environs  of  the  station  comprise  from  9  to  13  settlements 
with  a  total  population  of  25.f)On.  Within  range  of  the  station  are  situated  12 
butter  manufactories,  producing  .mnually  about  in,(KM(  puds  of  cream  butter 
The  Spassk  and  Pokrovsk  settlemcntscontain  tanneries,  forwarding  their  pro- 
duce by  rail:  the  Spassk  settlement  is  provided  with  a  water-mill,  yieldinir 
annually  about  50  waggon-loads.  The  thickly  populated  region  contiguous  to 
the  station  exports  annually  over  4i)0.(j(K)  puds  of  goods  to  the  ports  and  the 
interior  markets  of  the  Empire,  such  as  grain,  tlour,  meat,  fi.sh  poultry  and  butter. 
In    isys,  the  quantity  of  goods  forwarded  from  this  station  was  253,349  puds. 


208 


GI'IDK  TO  TIIK  GK'KAT  SIHKUIAN   UAII.WAY. 


Within  4.'!  vi'i'sts  to  tin-  soiitiiwost  of  tlic  slalion.  lirs  l,;il\r  ('liaiiy.  the 
lartiTst  in  tlic  Tomsk  irovcrnniciit.  ()C('ii|).vin,u;  an  area  of  2..S7ti  siiuare  vcrsts. 
The  sloping  shores  are  covered  with  reeds.  i<\irmeri,v  it  was  t'aiiious  on  aecoiint, 
of  its  fish  and  contained  hiir  pii<e  Aveiii'liinu'  about  80  pounds  and  carp  of  pi 
pounds.  Now  this  abundance  is  much  reduced:  some  kinds  of  fish  no  louiirr 
exist,  but  percli  and  liream  occur  plentifuli.x'.  'i'liis  lake  belongs  to  the  Statr. 
but  is  given  on  lease  to  pi-ivate  individual  for  exploitation;  il  \iclds  annuall.N 
about  lOD.OilO  puds  of  fish,  ]iartl,\   exported  by  the  raihva.x. 

\i  a  distance  of  15  versts  from  the  station,  is  situated  Lake  Karachi,  pos- 
ses,sing  medicinal  properties,  which  lies  in  an    open    and    dry  countr,\.   The 

lake  is  under  the  control 
of    the     Department    of 
State  Domains:  thewater 
is  clear,    of   a    brackisii 
taste,  and  very  unhealthy 
for   drinking.  The  sliiiii' 
at    the     l)ottom     iias    a 
stron.g  sulphurous  smell. 
In  suuimiM-.  the    lake   is 
resorted    to   by    ,iersons 
suflerin.s   from   ■.'heuma- 
tism,  siphiiitic   and  skin 
diseases.    The    lake    is 
leased  by  a  private  indi-  , 
vidual,  the  sick  are   re-  ^ 
riMved  in  barracks  with  , 
about  50  rooms.  The  Ta-  ■ 
i.-irs   fiu-nish    ver,\"    good 
kuni>'s. 

21)1    Teblsskaya. 
\'     class    (99ti    v.).    The 
rnuntry  round  is  swampy: 
in  summer  cases  of  fe- 
ver occur  freiiuently.  The 
water  of  the  lake  is  not 
good.  Near  the   station, 
a    settlement    for    emi-  •. 
grants    is    in  process  of ; 
organisation.  The  settle-  "■ 
ment  of  Tel)isskoe  (pop.  . 
:500)  is  four  versts   from 
the  station.  Theii'  are  4  settlements    and    10  villages    with    a    population    of 
n,(X)0  within  range   of  the   station.    The  settlements    of   Pokrovskoe,    NcWaya 
Derevnia,  Bulatova  contain  ten    butter  u\anufactories.    Above  loo,(X)0  ]iuds   of 
various  goods  are  exported    from  this    region  to  the  interior   markets   of  tlie 
?]nipire. 

21)  K^insk.  Ill  class,  liuffet  (1049  \.i.  The  cnuntry  is  levrl  and  surroundoil 
l)y  birch  copses  and  swam|ts.  WntiM-  id'  a  bad  (piality  is  olitained  from 
Lake  Kally,  situated  a  versl  from  the  station.  There  is  a  wooden  chui-ch  hold- 
ing 450  people,  erected  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alexandei'  111  fund,  and 
inaugurated  on  the  18  fiecemlier  1S97    in  honour  of  Saint  .\nilirw  Stratolati^s 


Ikonostasis  in  the  church  near  the  station  of  Tatarskaya. 


TIIK  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


•209 


anil  Si.  CalhiTinc  thr  Martyr.  A  lirick  (larisli  sclniul  with  two  classes  fi»r 
hoys  and  irirls  has  Iuhmi  huilt  mit  of  the  sanif  fund  in  tin"  name  of  the 
archpriest  John  Sefiriev.  On  sun(la\  s.  leclvn-t-s  illiisti-ated  hy  a  magic  lantern 
arc  held  in  the  school.  A  medical  and  feedin.i;  station  accomodate  tiO  emi- 
grants hound  for  the  Iviinsk  district.  The  town  of  Kainsk  is  situated  within 
12  versts  of  the  statinii  in  tlir  centn'  of  the  Baral)a  steppe,  at  the  junction 
of  the  river  Kainka  with  the  Uni.  The  town  stands  on  the  left  hank  of  the 
latter  (.55 '27'  .\  lat..  and  47^58'  E.  lon.ir.).  on  the  Great  Siberian  hiirhway.  on 
low  and  even  ground  with  an  elevation  ot"  only  :520  feet  ahove  sea-level. 

In  1722.  a  field  fortress  was  founded  near  the  town,  with  a  view  to  subdue 
the  wanderin.s;  Tatars  of  Haraba.  the  Kirsriz  and  Kalmyks.  This  spot  received 
the  name  of  Kainsk  Pas.  A  villa.i^e  founded  near  the  fort,  was  transjiorted 
in  1772  to  the  site  of  the  present  town,  which  in  1782  was  transformed  into 
a  district  town  of  the  Tobolsk  province.  In  18(14.  Kainsk  was  included  in  the 
Tomsk  gov<'rnment.  At  present  the  town  of  Kainsk  contains  a  population  of 
.'laiS  (.H.2t»2  males,  2.5ti6  females)  mainly  consisting  of  exiled  Jews  and  their 
descend.'.nts.  The  General  Exile  Board,  in  distributing  exiles  troughout  Siberia, 
for  many  years  added  persons  bidonging  to  the  Jewish  religion  to  the  popu- 
lation of  Kainsk.  with  a  view  to  concentrate  Jewish  ex|iloitation   in  one  place. 

The  town  contains  .V25  houses  mainly  wooden.  2  orthodox  churches,  a 
cathedral,  a  wooden  church  and  a  Jewish  synagogue 

Educational  institutions:  preparatory  gymnasium  lor  girls,  district  and 
two  parish  schools,  church  school.  Model  farm   founded   at   the    cost    of    the 


Ecclesiastical-parisli  scliool  at  the  station  of  Tatarskiya. 


merchant  Ycrofccv.  which  received  the  name  of  .VIexander  farm.  Meteorolci- 
.irical  station.  Hospital  of  the  Public  Charities  Board,  with  ')'>  beds  and  dis- 
pensaty.  Military  hospital.  I'ul)lic  <'liib.  library,  society  for  elementary  edu- 
cation. 


210 


iriDK    I'll   TIIIO  (iHKAT  SlliKHlAN   iiAII.WAY. 


The  tiiwn  has  no  great  coinmcfcial    importance,  and  its   industry    is    but 
little  developed,  aniountinn-  in  value  to  about  R.  400,000  per  annum. 

The    lollowinK    industrial    eoncerns    are  the  niest    inijioi'tant:    di.stillery, 

beer  and  mead  brewery, 
tannery  and  soap  boilery. 
Every  year,  two  fair.s 
are  held  in  the  town: 
that  of  St.  Michael  (from 
the 8  to  the  17  January) 
and  that  of  St.  Peter  and 
St.  Paul  (from  the  29  5un.' 
to  the  8  July);  the  l)usi- 
ness  done  is  small. 

The  revenue    id'  ihr 

town  for  l.S99wasestima- 

ted  at  R.  15,049.44  k.,  thi' 

e.xpendi  tare  at  14,864.48  k. 

There  are  no  hotels. 

but   inns  only.  Hackiie\ 

coaches  are  hired  b.\  tlir 

tariff;  a  drive  within  the 

tnwn   costs  15   k.— .SO   k. 

!.    1.  The    road  between   the 

counti'v,  and    in  sprint'  and 


Church  at  the  station  of  Kainsk. 


the  hour,  t( 
station    ant 


tlir   railway'  station    from    oO  k.  to 
the  town   runs  through    a  swanijjv 
autumn  is  about  18  versts  long. 

The  trading  firms  are;  Volkov— draper's  .goods  and  trinkets;  Yerofeev— di- 
stillery, beer  and  mead  brewery,  and  steam  flour  mill,  draper'.s  goods;  Shkroev 
drapery,  haberdashery;  wine  cellar,  distillery:  Moshchi'nsky.  drapery  and  gro- 
ceries, tallow  boilery;  Mitrokhin.  tannery,  tallow  and  soap,  boileries. 

.\gents;  JIalygin,  agent  of  the  Rossia  Company;  Urniazh.  of  the  .Xorlliern 
Insurance  Society.  Belozerov,  of  the  Russian  Company.  Th(^  sphere  of  influ- 
ence of  the  station,  besides  the  town  of  Kainsk,  comprises  17  settlements  and 
villages  with  a  population  of  8,000  engaged  in  agriculture,  .\hout  ,500,000  jjuds 
of  various  goods  are  annually  forwarded  from  here  to  the  ports  and  interior 
markets  of  the  Empire  In  1898,  the  ijuantity  of  grain  exported  from  the  sta- 
tion of  Kainsk  was  ;^15,96.S  puds. 

The  articles  of  export  to  the  East  are;  spirit,  wine,  beer;  to  the  West: 
grain,  meat,  tallow,  poultry  and  fish. 

Twenty  versts  south-west  of  the  station  lies  lake  Ustiantsev,  containing: 
alkali  and  Glauber's  salt,  possessing  the  same  properties  as  the  springs  of 
Karlsbad,  Franzensbad.  MariiMibad  and  Essentuki  .\5  4.  The  water  is  good  for 
catarrh  of  the  stomach. 

There  is  no  bath  accomod.ition,  and  the  patients  lixc  in  cottages  in  the 
village  of  Ustiantsevsk  situated  near  the  lake,  (rood  kumys  is  supplieil  by  the 
Tatars  and  Kirgiz  The  country  is  open  and  dry,  the  bridle  path  connecting 
the  railway  and  the  lake  is   good. 

From  the  station  of  Kainsk,  the  line  jiroceeds  by  the  valley  of  the  Iviinka 
and  further  along  the  watershed  of  the  Om  and  Lake  ChAny. 

28)  Kuzhiirla.  V  class  (lOSS)  v.)  the  country  is  .swampy,  the  water  from 
lake  Marovo  is  of  bad  (luality;  in  winter  it  is  provided  by  wells.  Two  settle- 
ments. St.  Alexandra  and  the   Peschanv,    wer(>    establislied    near  the  station. 


THE  WEST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


211 


durin.u  thf  ninstructinn  nf  tho  line,  by  poasant  (Miiiiirants  Ircim  the  Tula,  Mn- 
giliov  and  Oriol  govornnitMits.  At  the  St.  Aloxjindra  scttlemont,  a  parish  scliool 
is  being  built  of  stone.  Within  range  of  the  station  are  IS  settlements  (pop. 
4.000)  and  tanneries  belonging  to  Rosenfcld  in  Osinovy  Kolki  and  to  Abramo- 


ELarlh  clcarinq  with  ..New  Era" '  machines. 

vich  in  the  village  of  Chumakovo.  The  <iuantity  of  goods  exported  from  the 
siatiim  nf  Knzhi'irla  is  inconsiderable.  Leavinir  the  watershed,  the  line  crosses 
the  river  Kuzhurla  at  the  1099  verst,  and  the  Karapuz  at  the  1124  verst. 

29)  Ublnskaya.  V  class 
(1.127  v.).  The  country  is 
swampy.  The  supply  of  wa- 
ter of  inferior  quality  is 
li'om  a  lake.  The  village  of 
'bii  (pop.  .500)  is  situated 
near  the  station.  The  range 
"f  the  station  comprises  12 
settlements  (pop.  3,.iOO).  To 

he  northeast  and  in  jiroxi- 
III ity  to  the  station,  lies  lake 
I'binskoe,  covering  a  sujier- 
licial  area  of  578  square 
versts.  The  shores  of  the 
lake  are  swanijiy  and  low. 
''  abounds  in  fish  which  is 

'>rwarded  frozen  from  this 
station.  re])resenting  the  chief  article  of  export. 

30)  Kargdt.  V  class  (1.166  v.).  The  country  is  elevated.  Water  got  from 
ilie  river  Kargat  is  particularly  bad  in  winter,  when    it  becomes    musty  and 

ellow.  r>urinfr  this  season,  ice  supjilii's    the  water.    \    medical    and    feedins: 
s.ation  is  established  here  with  barracks  accomodating   60  emigrants,  bound 

"r  the  Kainsk  district. 

14.V 


Station  o(  Dupleiiskaya. 


r,liiniO  TO  TllK  GREAT  SIBICRIAN    KAILWAY. 


'Phi'  K;ii'i;;it  t'di'cpdst  (pup.  :500|  is  situated  12  V(,'rst,s  Irmu  the  st:i- 
liiiM,  W'itliin  its  raiiict'  arc  only  o  settlemonts  with  a  pnpulatii}!!  dl'  l,2i)0. 
In  proximity  to  tiie  station,  on  the  banks  of  the  Karsat,  a  new  settle- 
ment, is  beini:;  estalilislicd  by  local  [leasants  IVimi  the  iiciii-lihdui'iiii;'  vil- 
la j;-cs. 

Grain,  meat,  liutter,  leatlier  (^tc.  are  the  nciods  exported  tVdni  this  station, 
to  the  anioimt  ol  .")(),(X)0  ituds  per  annum. 

HI)  Chulym.  IV  class.  Buffet  (l.2ui)  v.i.  The  country  is  swampy  and 
infested  with  fever,  the  water  is  had  for  drinking  and  smells  of  nuid.  Since 
the  timi'  of  the  construction  of  the  railwa\-,  a  settlement  with  2i)  inhabitants 

has  been  established    near 
the  station  by  small  traders 
and   workmen.    .V    barrack, 
hdldin.ii-  'io  people,  was  built 
here  to  meet    the  needs  id' 
the  emi,2;rants.    The  settle- 
ment of  Chulym  is  2versts 
fr(un  the  station  (pop.  290). 
Theenvirons  compris<>  .'>set- 
tlements  (pop.  1,2(K))  whence 
about  90,0{K)  puds  of  goods, 
mainly  grain,  are  forwarded 
to  the  western    markets  of 
tiu'  Kmpire. 
.■i2)    Duplenskaya.   V  class    (1,2s,t  v.).   Tomsk    district.    The  cduntry  is 
swampy   and    wooded,    (iood   water  is  sui)iilied  by  wells.  There  are  4  settle- 
ments within  range  of  the  station  (pop.  l.onn).  Exjiort  inconsiderable.  At  tiie 
1.2S2  verst.  the  line  crosses 
the  i-iver  Karg;vt. 

33)  Koehenevo.V  class 
(1,285  v.).  The  country  is  le- 
vel, dry  and  covered  with 
youn.s  birch  wood,  flood 
water  is  jtrovided  by  wells 
The  settlement  of  Koche- 
nevo  is  situated  near  the 
station.  Within  range  aie 
7  settlements  with  a  i)opu- 
lation  of  3.0i)().  Emigrants 
bound  for  the  Barnaul  dis 
trict  stop  here.  The  agricul- 
tural area  of  the  station 
yields  annually  over  fjOO.CMM) 
l»uds  of  vai'ious  goods  for 
export  to  the  interior  mar- 
kets of  the  Empire.  In  1898. 
4Sf),.52()  puds  of  grain  was  forwardefi  from  this  point 

Chik  crossing  (1,298  v.).  The  couiiti'\-  is  (devateil  and  d]ien.  prdxided 
with  good  water  from  the  river  Chik.  At  this  i)oint  the  line  crosses  the  I'i- 
ver.  The  station  is  not  open  for  transport  oper;itions.  The  goods  c<uiveyed 
from    hei'c    towards   Cheliabinsk  are  registered  at  the  station  ef  Krivoslud)'' 


station  of  Krivoshch6kovo. 


THK  WKST  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


•213 


kiivci,  ami  thosi'  hound  east,  at  tlii'  statinn  Km-hrni'vi).  Al  llu'  1,-'U7  vorsl.tlic 
line  crosses  the  river  Krivodonkn. 

M)  Krivoshch^kovo.  II  class.  Huffet  (1,324  v.).  The  country  is  level 
and  dry.  Water  is  supiilied  by  a  luilsometer  at  the  1.327  v.  and  hrousrht  here 
in  tanks.  A  |irivate  school  for  hoys  and  girls  is  established  near  the  station: 
it  is  maintained  by  the  railway  employees.  At  a  distance  of  a  verst,  stands 
the  settlement  of  Krivoshchekovo  (pop.  2(H)).  Within  range  of  the  station  are 
the  town  of  Kolyvan  (pop.  11.703),  the  settlement  of  Berskoe  (pop.  4.n<T0)  and 
l.T  other  settlements  {\wp.  12,()(X1). 


Bridge  over  the  Ob. 


The  ijuantity  of  goods'  transported  from  this  station  amnunis  to  a  milliim 
puds.  In  1S9S,  the  grain  eximrt  was  rejiresented  by  .S47.724  puds  (.3.183  puds 
of  i-ye,  602..5.5.T  puds  of  wheat.  lli).2()8  puds  of  oats.  214  puds  of  peas  and 
millet,  12.060  puds  of  wheat  meal.  10.304  puds  of  rye  meal,  4.898  puds  of 
buckwheat;  210  puds  of  various  other  corn,  13,492  puds  of  oil  seeds.).  The 
goods  are  conveyed  to  Libava,  Revel,  the  Xew  Port  and  St.  Petersburg. 

.\t  the  1.328  verst.  the  line  crosses  the  Ob  by  a  bridge  372..50  sazhens 
lonir.  having  7  spans,  the  I  and  VII  openings  are  46.325  sazhens.  the  II.  IV 
and  VI,  .53.6-J  sazhens.  and  111  and  V.  .53.1.')  sazhens.  The  upi)er  girders  of  the 
bridge  are  on  the  Herbers  system  with  lour  clear  spans  of  41  sazhens  each, 
and  with  three  balanced  spans.  69'  2  sazhens  in  length.  The  stone  abutments 
of  the  brid.ge  are  laid  on  granite  rocks,  the  right  pier  N^  1  near  the  bank  is 
not  supported  on  a  caisson,  the  other  piers  XX'^  2.  3,  4,  5  and  6  are  laid  on 
caissons  sunk  to  a  depth  of  l.Hl  to  3.40  sazhens  below  the  lowest  water  le- 
vel. The  minimum  elevation  of  the  trusses  above  the  low  water  mark  is 
8.23  sazhens.  and  4.42  sazhens  above  its  highest  level;  the  height  of  the 
embankment  on  the  left  side  is  7  sazhens.  and  5  sazhens  on  the  right.  Bot-h 
spans  near  the  bank  have  an  opeing  of  10  sazhens  between  the  piers  and 
the  retaining  walls.  The  thin  alluvial  soil  covering  the  rocky  river  bed  and 
the  insufficient  i|uantity  of  water  havinir  been  taken  into  consideration,  some 
of  the  piers  without  caissons  are  laid  on  Hie  lupttoni  id' the  river  by  means 
of  coffer-dams. 


214 


GUIDE  TO  THETGREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


The  fagotod  iron  for  the  ii|i|i(M-  strurtiirr  was  siipiiliod  liy  lln'  X'otkiii 
works;  (H-erythinj^  connoctod  with  tiu-  construction  of  tlu'  lirid.i^e  was  entru- 
sted to  the  contractor  EnKiiiccr  Berezin.  The  river  Ob  (Tatar:  Omar,  Surgut- 
Ostiak:  As,  and  Samoyed:  Kiiia  (soul)  is  the  largest  river  of  Western  Siberia 
falling  into  the  Ob  Gulf  of  the  Arctic  Ocean;  it  is  formed  by  the  junction  of 
two  large  streams  the  Biya  and  Katv'in.  The  river  Riya  (Biy  means  .prince" 
in  Tatar)  flows  out  of  the  picturesciue  Altai  lake  Teletsk,  the  Katun  (woman 
of  high  rank,  ..queen"  in  Kalmyk)  is  fed  by  the  glaciers  of  the  Altai  Mont- 
blanc.  the  Belul±a.  Its  chief  affluents  are  the  Tom,  watering  the  fertile  Ku- 
znetsk district,  navigable  to  the  town  of  Kuznetsk  and  serving  as  a  connec- 
ting link  to  the  navigable  ways,  leading  from  the  west  to  Eastern  Siberia 
and  back:  the  rinilym.  by  which  steamers  with  some  difficulty  reach  the 
town  of  Achinsk  (l,(Xio  v.):  the  Ket.  which  has  a  great  importance,  connecting 
the  extensive  Ob  and  Yenisei  basins  through  the  Ob-Yenisei  canal;  the  Vakh. 
navigable  for  a  distance  of  500  versts;  the  Irtysh  with  its  extensive  system 
of  navigable  ways  reaching  the  confines  of  Western  China  and  the  Ural. 
The  Ob,  from  the  junction  of  the  Bi'ya  w-ith  the  Katun,  1.5  versts  below  the 
town  of  Biisk,   has  a  total  length  of  .S,200  versts.  The  immense  river  is  still 


Bridge  bend  tested  by  the  Frenkel  apparatus. 


more  extensive,  if  the  Irtysh  be  considered  as  the  main  branch  flowing  for 
a  distance  of  4.(X)0  versts.  The  Ob  from  its  junction  with  the  Irtysh  (over 
1,000  versts)  being  added  to  that  distance,  the  total  course  of  the  01)-Irtysh 
exceeds  5,0(X)  versts.  The  breadth  of  the  river,  within  the  confines  of  the 
Tomsk  government,  is  from  ;:550  to  850  sazhens:  at  places  blocked  b.A  islands 
it  amounts  to  .'5  versts;  in  the  Tob()lsk  govtM'niuent,  the  river  has  an  averaiic 
breadth  of  l'/2  to  3  versts,    but  where    here    ami  Ihi're  its  branches  ar(>  divi- 


THE  WEST  SmERIAN  RAILWAY.  215 

(led  liy  islands,  lliis  reaches  from  80  to  40  versts.  Fallinj:  into  the  Oh  (liill. 
the  river  lias  a  breadth  varying  from  5  to  20  versts.  The  depth  of  the  ()l(  is 
rroiii  •>  to  20  sazhens.  Its  hottom  is  at  first  rocky,  and  I'urtiier  on  consists  ot 
siind  and  sandy  clay.  Upon  joining  its  right  tributary,  the  Charysh,  watering 
the  Hiisk  district,  the  river  fhiws  along  a  narrow  valley  between  steep  banks, 
covered  on  the  right  with  thick  wood.  Hexund  Barnaul,  the  river  iiursiies  its 
Idrliious  course  along  abroad  valley  and  making  a  wide  sweep  skirts  thi'  Sa- 
laif  Chain:  its  right  bank  is  elevated.  Further  on  the  Ob  widens.  Ix'ing  bor- 
dered b.\  low,  swaini)y  and  scantily  wooded  banks  to  the  nioiilli  ol  (ho  lrt.\sh. 
Upon  its  Junction  with  the  latter,  the  river  separates  into  numerous  bran- 
ches, which  embrace  an  immense  area.  Un  the  avera.ge,  the  Ob  freezes  at 
Harnaul  on  the  80  October,  it  opens  on  the  1.5  Aiiril;  thus  the  river  remains 
free  of  ice  for  1-4G  days.  In  spring,  at  the  end  of  April  or  the  beginning  id' 
May,  the  Ub  leaves  its  banks  and  overflows  vast  expanses  of  land.  The  Ub 
abounds  in  many  kinds  of  fish:  the  muksun  (Salmo  muksun),  the  nelma 
(Salmo  nelma),  the  salmo  thymallus  (Salmo  fluviatilis),  the  stur.geon  (Ac- 
cipenser  sturio),  the  sterlet  (Accipenser  rathenus)  and  others. 

Throughout  the  entire  course  of  the  river,  and  especially  on  its  lower 
reaches,  fisiiin.g  is  pursued  on  a  large  scale  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  iImi' 
banks.  The  railway  has  caused  an  increase  of  fish  exports  to  Russia,  and 
will  contribute  to  a  further  development  and  improvement  of  this  industry. 
The  preparation  of  fish  conserves  in  the  town  of  Tobulsk,  the  establishment 
in  the  village  of  Sam.-'irovo  of  the  first  school  for  the  preparation  of  fish  pro- 
ducts, togetlier  with  the  canning  works,  established  b\-  the  firm  of  Plotnikov 
on  the  lower  Ub,  where  cheap  conserves  are  mainly  manufactured,  shew  the 
beginning  of  more  perfect  systems  of  Siberian  fish  industry, 

Representing  the  limit  of  Europe  and  Asia,  the  navigable  Ob,  with  its 
wide  stretching  tril)utaries.  comprising  l.'),i>Kl  versts,  always  served  as  the 
cheapest  means  of  communication  uniting  the  two  vast  continents.  Previous 
to  the  construction  of  the  Perm  Tiumen  railway,  goods  were  mainly  trans- 
ported by  the  Kama,  whence  they  were  conveyed  by  carts  over  the  Ural 
and  further  floated  along  the  rivers  of  the  Ob  basin.  From  1870  to  188-1,  the 
total  i|uantity  of  goods  trasported  by  the  West-Siberian  rivers  did  not  exceed 
2,.5(K),(X)o  puds.  Since  1885,  when  the  line  was  opened  to  traffic,  uniting  two 
extensive  water  basins,  local  trade  was  considerably  enlivened,  and  the  con- 
veyance of  goods  on  the  water  ways  of  the  Ob  basin  much  increased  by  a 
greater  export  of  Siberian  produce  to  the  western  markets  of  the  Empire.  In 
1888,  the  number  of  steamers  plying  in  the  Ob  basin  was  .')(5  with  8,486  H.  P. 
while  the  total  of  goods  transfiorted  amounted  to  7,71)9,.')4f)  |)uds:  in  1890 
their  number  rose  to  68.  with  4,8:32  H.  P.,  and  goods  transported  to  8,871,800 
puds.  In  18114,  at  the  time  of  the  opening  of  traffic  on  the  Omsk-Cheliabinsk 
line  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  the  fleet  of  the  Ob  basin  comi)rised  108 
steamers,  with  7,2:i5  H.  P.  which,  during  this  year,  transjjorted  ir),488,900  puds 
of  various  goods.  The  conveyance  of  private  goods  by  the  Perm-TiuiiK'n  rail- 
way, within  this  [leriod,  increased  in  the  same  proportion  as  thai  on  the  0\> 
basin.  The  ([uantity  of  private  goods  transported  in  18«8  was  42,816,771  puds; 
in  1894.  it  amounted  to  .59,809,479  puds. 

The  transport  of  goods  by  the  chief  water  ways  of  the  Ob  basin,  the 
Irtysh  and  the  Ob  proi)er.  during  the  period  precedin.g  the  construction  of 
the  (ireat  Siberian  line  (which  crosses  the  middle  course  of  these  water 
ways)    maintained  almost    invariably  the  same  proportion:   25  per   cent  were 


216 


GUIDi;  Ttl  THK  CKEAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY, 


conveyed  IVom  the  csUniry  ol'  thi^  Tnbi'il  idwanls  tlic  iijipi'i-  lri.\sli,  ;in(i  75  jicr 
cent,  towards  tliu  Oh. 

Tlio  tratTic  on  Iho  Siberian  main  line,  liavini;'  chaiiLi'i'd  the  ilirccruiii  ol' 
li-aii.sport,  at  the  same  tiino  so  much  enhiriit'd  thr  iinMhiclivc  capacity  of 
Siberia,  that  the  iJi'ogro.ss  of  steam  navigation  on  l.lic  Ob  basin,  and  the  in- 
crease of  the  goods  traffic  over  the  Perm-Tiumen  line  was  not  stopped  by 
it.  The  Great  Siberian  Railway,  in  1897.  conveyed  24,00(1.(K)0  puds  of  various 
goods  from  the  region  where  it  crosses  the  navigable  basins  of  the  Ob  and 
Irtysh  and  from  Western  Siberia;  whereas  the  fleet  of  the  Ob  basin  trans- 
ported above  16,000,000  puds  of  various  goods.  At  the  same  time,  as  much 
as  77,04(1,083  puds  of  private  goods  were  carried  by  the  Perm-Tiumen  line. 

The  navigation  on  the  Ob  commences  at  the  town  of  Biisk,  viz.  from  the 
junction  of  the  rivers  Hi'ya  and  Katun,  whence  the  goods  are  carried  for  a 
distance  of  2.000  to  3,(X)0  \-ersts. 

-Notwithstanding    the    competition    existing    amoni:-    the    shipowners,    tlie 


■■■OXiL'y.L 


The  Ob-Yenisei  Canal,  sluice  at  the  15  verst. 


rates  of  transport  are  much  higher  than  eii  the  \'(]lga;  this  partly  liepends 
upon  the  insutiicitmt  security  of  navigation,  and  part  l.\'  upon  the  risk  run  by  the  v 
steamers  during  their  passage,  from  the  want  of  auxiliary  measures.  The  f. 
absenci!  of  any  precise  notions  regarding  the  time  of  freezing  and  opening 
ot  rivers,  of  the  telegraph  or  any  means  to  obtain  information,  the  scarcity 
of  the  population  along  the  chief  rivers,  especially  on  the  Oh,  and  the  low 
water  level  of  the  Tobol  and  Turd,  cansc  many  acindents,  loss  of  goods  and 
much  injury  to  shipowners. 

The  measures  wliich  have  l)een  taken  by  the  (lovernment  with  a  view 
to  im])i'ove  th(^  water  system  of  Western  Siberia,  feeding  the  (h'eat  Siberian 
main  line  and  the  Perin-Koth'is    railway,    will  iiiidoulttedly    contriluitc    to  the 


THE  WEST  SIBERI.VN  RAILWAY. 


•21: 


t'urllii'i-  ilovc'li>|iiiu'ni  of  luiviiraiiim  and  to  Ilic  lowering  of  the  rates  of  trans- 
piirt.  The  inciTaso  of  naviiration.  pnivoki'd  liy  ihc  lively  trade  of  Siheria  with 
the  luii'0|iean  inafkets,  dearly  point  to  tiie  futiife  coiniiicfi-ial  inipoi'taiK'e  of 
the  <il)-Yenis('i  (Janal. 

The  connexion  of  the 
fivers  Ket  (ti-ibutary  to 
the  Ob)  and  Kass(,tfil>n- 
lafv  to  the  Yenisei)  l)y 
a  canal,  was  efl'eeted  by 
the  engineers,  Haron 
Anii'nov  and  Zhbikov- 
sky.  It  presents  now  an 
iiiiinense  water  wax .').( h h  \ 
versts  in  length,  uniting 
Tiuini-n  and  Irkutsk.  The 
canal  and  the  nearest 
rivers  are  now  provided 
with  nine  sluices,  which 
are  necessary  on  account 

of  the  difference  of  level  between  the  Ob  and  Yenisei  basins;  tu  the  pre- 
sent  day   steamers   carrying    o.OtX)   puds    can  pass   through    the  canal   only 


The  Ob-Yenisiii  Canal,  sluice  at  the  103  vei 


The  steamer  ^Nicholas"  on  which  His  Imperial  Mayesty  the  ,,,v.,,...  ^.    ... 

basin  from  the  town  of  Tomsk  to  OmsK  in  1H91. 


voyage  in  the  Ob 


during  somewhat  more  than  a  month,  from  the  time  of  the  opening  of  navi- 
:,'ation  to  the  beginning  of  June:  alter  this  season,  the  water  falls  rapidly  and 
'inly  barges  with  a  cargo  of  5<m»  puds  can  use  it.  In  order  to  adapt  this  water- 
way for  the  steam  transport  of  goods,  two  sluices  ought  to  be  constructed 
'in  the  river  Kass,  two  of  them  on  the  side  of  the  Ob  must  be  widened,  and 
a  bar  obstructing  the  Great  Kass  within  a  tew  versts  of  its  mouth  cleared. 


218 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


We  fully  share  the  opinion  of  Jules  Leijras,  professor  of  ihr  Dijon  uni- 
versity,  who,  having  visited  the  canal,  saw  the  significanci'  of  this  enter- 
prise which,  together  with  the  Siberian  main  line,  is  most  important  for  the 
progress  of  the  [iroductive  capacity  of  northern  Siberia. 

The  development  of  navigation  on  the  Ob  greatly  depends  upon  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  regular  searoute  through  the  Kara  Sea  which  for  a  long 
period  remains  frost  bound.  The  exploration  of  Nakhodka  Bay  in  the  Ub  Gulf 
made  by  Captain  Sergeev  in  1897  with  a  view  to  find  an  anchorage  for  ri- 
ver steamers,  and  the  attempts  of  Admiral  Makarov  to  secure  a  free  passage 
through  the  Kara  Sea  with  the  help  of  icebreakers,  open  the  prospect  of  a 
regular  and  advantageous  trade  comnninii-atinn  by  the  estuary  of  the  Ub. 

The  passage  between  Tomsk  and  Tiumen  is  etfccted  mainly  by  steamers 
of  the  Trade  and  Industry  Company  plying  on  the  rivers  of  Western  Siberia 
(formerly  Ignatov  and  Kurbatov).  of  Trapeznikov  and  Co.,  of  the  Bogoslov  Mi- 
ning district,  of  Kornilov,  Plotnikov,  Monjzov  and  the  Yermak  Company.  Steam- 
ers belonging  to  the  last  reach  Krivoshchekovo.  Barnaul  and  Biisk.  K.ipid 
steamers  with  a  light  barge  of  the  Trade  and  Industry  Company  leave  Tomsk 
for  Tiumen  once  a  week,  all  the  others  ply  at  irregular  intervals.  Between 
Tomsk  and  Barnaul  regular  trips  are  made  by  the  light  steamers  belonging 
to  Melnikov  and  Eldstein. 


o 


o 
_o 

bo 

'c 
5 


Tomsk  pvernment  and  Eastern  Siberia  within  the 
range  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway. 


Government  of  T  omsk.— Geographi- 
■  cal  position  and  extent.— Configuration  of 
surface.  —  AltAi  and  Alatau.  -  Geological 
structure  and  mineral  wealth  ("gold,  silver, 
lead  and  copper,  iron  ores,  precious  sto- 
nes, coal  beds,  rock-salt,  mineral  wa- 
ters). -  Hydrography.  -  Climate.  -  Flora 
.      .--r..  and  fauna. —Altainatives.—  Presentpoputa- 

1      \*  tion.— Ethnographical   composition.- Exi- 

1  V  V  le.-   Colonisation.     Industries  and  occupa- 

■  *  tions   of   inhabitants    (agriculture,   cattle- 

breeding,  bee-keeping,  fishing,  trapping 
and  hunting,  cedar-nul  gathering,  domes- 
tic industries).— Factories  and  works. 
Trade.  — Projected  railway  lines.  —  Eas- 
tern Siberia.-  Review  of  the  Yenisiisk 
and  Irkutsk  governraents.  — Surface  con- 
figuration and  mineral  wealth  (auriferous 
gravel,  vein  gold,  silver  and  copper  ores, 
^  iron    ores    and    mining    industry,    green 

copperas,  coal  beds,  graphite,  napntha. 
salt  deposits,  nephrite,  precious  stones. 
fire  clay,  mineral  springs).  —  Hydro- 
graphy. Chmate.— Vegetation.— Fauna.- 
Population  (natives,  exiles,  emigration 
movement).  — Land  tenure  Industries  and 
occupations  of  inhabitants.— Factories  and 
works.  —  Yakutsk  borderland  and 
its  gold  mining   wealth.  — Bibliography. 


T 


HR  middle  link  uf  the  Great  Siberian  Railway, 
travorsin.ir   the  section  from  the  river  Ob  to  the 
Baikal,  runs  through  the  centre  of  the   Tomsk 
government,  and   the  south-eastern   and   most 
populous  parts    of   the   Yeniseisk    and    Irkutsk 
governments  in  Eastern    Siberia,  spreadini;  its  mii^hty  intluence  all  over  the 
vast  area   of  their  territory.  The  Tomsk   irovernnient,    eniliracing  the   south- 
eastern jiortion  of  Eastern  Siberia,  has  a  suiierficial  area  of  15,797.50  sq.  miles 
or  768,663.8  sq.  versts,  lying  between    49^  and  61°   N.   lat.   and   45°  and   61° 
E.  long.  Extending  in  the  direction   of  the  meridian,  it  is  1.400   versts  from 
south  to  north,  and  about  900  versts  from  east  to  west,  exceeding  by  2'/2  times 
the  dimensions  of  Great  Britain's   European  dominions,  and  being  V'2  times 
as  large  as  France. 

On  the  east  and  north-cast  it  is  bordered  by  the  Tobolsk  government 
and  the  Akmolinsk  and  Semipalatinsk  territories,  on  the  north-east  and  east 
by  the  Yeniseisk  government,  touching  on  the  south  upon  Chinese  territory. 


•220  GUIDE  TO  THli  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

For  purposes  of  internal  administration,  this  vast  government  is  divided  intu 
7  unequal  districts: 

Tomsk,    inclusive  of  the  Xaryni   region,  24('),;i2o  sq.  versts 

Kaiiisk 6(3.061           „ 

Mariinsk 65,807 

Barnaul 114,512 

Biisk  and  Znieino.gorsk lCi).!)43           „ 

Kuznetsk S7.17]            „ 

The  luirtlit'in  |Kirtion  of  the  government,  the  districts  of  Kiiinsk,  Mariinsk 
the  Narym  country  and  the  greater  part  of  the  Tomsk  district,  a  total  of 
402.543  sq.  versts,  belong  to  the  crown  lands  and  are  under  the  management 
of  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  State  Domains.  Its  southern  part,  the  Bar- 
naul, Bi'isk,  Zmeinogorsk,  Kuznetsk  and  ])art  of  the  Tomsk  districts,  form  the 
property  of  His  Impeiial  Majesty's  Cabinet  under  the  name  of  the  .\ltai  Mi- 
ning District. 

The  surface  of  the  Tomsk  government  is  very  varied:  its  southern  and 
eastern  parts  are  occupied  by  mountains  of  the  Altai  system  and  the  Kuz- 
netsk Alatau,  the  western,  north-western  and  northern  portion  by  lowlands 
representing  part  of  the  extensive  West  Siberian  plain.  The  whole  area  has 
a  .great  fall  to  the  north  and  north-west.  The  elevation  of  the  Katiin  moun- 
tains, which  on  the  south  reaches  11,000  feet  above  sea-level,  does  not  ex- 
ceed 200—300  feet  on  the  north.  The  northern  direction  of  nearly  all  the  ri- 
vers, belonging  e.Kclusively  to  the  basin  of  the  .Arctic  Ocean,  is  due  in  this 
inclination. 

The  Altai  (Chinese  .,Cin-Shan"  or  gold  mountains)  representing  an  im- 
mense highland,  coming  up  to  the  western  boundaries  of  the  Sayan  moun- 
tain ridge,  covers  the  southern  portions  of  the  Biisk  and  Zmeinogorsk  dis- 
tricts. Its  superficial  area  is  630  versts  long  by  520  versts  wide.  The  average 
height  of  these  mountains  above  sea-level  is  5,000  feet,  and  that  of  its  high- 
est summit,  the  Belukha,  11,.500  feet. 

Several  valleys  traversing  the  Altai  mountains  divide  tho  whole  system 
into  many  parallel  chains  and  ridges,  known  \mder  the  name  of  ..belki"  (aljjs) 
nStolby"  (columns)  etc,   running  from  north  to  south  in  the  following  order: 

1)  The  Kolyvan  mountains,  containing  rich  silver-lead  and  copper  ores, 
with  picturesque  dome-shaped  summits,  are  of  no  great  elevation,  rising 
barely  to  4,500  feet  at  their  highest  point,  the  Seniukha.  They  are  situated 
between  the  headwaters  of  the  Alei  and  the  middle  n-aches  of  the  Gharysh 

2)  The  Tigertils  Belki,  whose  summits  have  a  height  of  7,000  to  8,000  feet 
above  sea-level,  stand  between  the  rivers  Uba  and  Gharysh,  and  contain  a 
great  number  of  caves  formed  by  weathering  in  the  dolomite  masses. 

3)  The  Korgon  mountains,  lying  between  the  rivers  Koksiik  andCharysh, 
rise  to  an  altitude  of  about  7,000  feet  above  sea-level,  and  abound  in  beauti- 
ful jaspers,  porphyries,  a.gates,  marbles  and  breccia. 

4)  The  Terektin  mountains  are  situated  between  the  rivers  Katun  and 
Ursi'il. 

5)  The  Bashchaliik,  Aniiii  and  Crsiil  Mdiintains  consist  of  s^qjarate  clifls 
with  an  elevation  of  from  4,000  to  b,000  feet  above  sea-level;  they  are  uninha- 
bited and  visiled  nnly  by  hunters. 


THK  TOMSK  COVEUNMENT. 


221 


111  TIk'  riii'i  iniiuntains  which,  liki' ilic  Knl.v  \  iiii.  alMnniil  in  >ilvri' jrail  ores, 
aro  sitiiatcii  hi'twooii  the  rivers  I  l):i  ami  rilnl.  ami  allaiii  an  altilinlc  dl' .").4m 
teet  above  sea-level  at  their  highest  points. 

7)  The  I'Iha  mountains  hetween  Ihe  (iroal  anil  Liitlo  rihii.  rise  to  an 
elevation  of  7.(HKi  t'ect. 


AltSi.  The  Little  Ak-b6m  on  the  Chiiya  road  (phot,   by  Saz(inov^. 

SI  The  Tiirirusiin  mountains  lie  between  the  rivers  Koksiin  and  Ulba. 

Ill)  The  ivholsiin  mountains,  situated  between  the  upiior  stream  of  the 
K'atiin  river  and  the  Hukhtarma,  have  peaks  covered  with  perpetual  snow  ot 
about  8.21X1  feet  above  sea-level. 

U)  The  Katun  Stolby  represent  the  iofliest  °:roup  of  the  Altai  system, 
liound  by  the  river  Katun  on  the  north-west  and  south,  and  by  the  rivers 
.Vriiuta  and  Koksun  on  the  east.  Their  hi.i^hest  point  is  the  Beliikha  with  an 
I'levalion  of  11,(IU()  feet  above  sea-level;  its  glaciers,  lying  in  deep  ravines,  fee<l 
Ihe  rivers  Katiin  and  Berel.  The  largest  of  the  Katun  glaciers  is  11  versts 
long  as  measured  by  Professor  Sapozhnikov.  It  accordingly  ranks  with  the 
lirst-class  glaciers  of  Switzerland. 

12)  The  Saldzhar.  .\itculik.  Kuni  and  Chi'iya  Belkf  have  summits  called 
res|)eclively  Bozhia  and  Lysaya  (Joni.  which  rise  to  a  height  of  Pmhk)  feet 
above  sea-level. 

IH)  The  Telt'tsk  mountains,  running  jiarallel  to  the  Kuznetsk  Alatau. 

The  Alatau  mountain  rid.ge  (Kirgiz  „inotley  mountains")  traverses  the 
Kuznetsk  district,  its  branches  spreading  over  the  southern  part  of  the  Bar- 


L.I 


222 


nUinK  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBKBIAX   RAILWAY. 


naiil  ami  Tmiisk  districts.  The.s(>  iimunlains  extciid  \\>v  ii()()  vcrsls  in  Icn.srth 
ami  KM)— 151)  versts  in  lireadth  and  like  Uio  Altai  consist  oT  separate  ridn'i's 
with  snow-clad  summits.  These  snow  i)caks  bear  the  local  name  of  ..Task.sl" 
or  alps.  The  most  southern  extremities  of  the  Altai,  rising  to  an  allitmie  ot 
15,000  feet  above  sea  level,  reach  the  Sayan  mountains  and  stretcli  to  the 
X.  X.  W.  nndci-  thv  name  of  the  Abakan,  and  further  under  that  of  Salair 
mountains.  Through  nearly  their  entire  course,  they  form  the  watershed  of 
the  vast  Ob  and  Yenisei  river  basins.  Chains  of  inferior  size,  iiranching  otT 
from  the  main  ran.ge,  constitute  the  watersheds  of  the  numerous  large  and 
small  tributaries.  The  mountain  ridges,  falling  gradually  towards  the  north, 
disappear  altogether  only  in  the  environs  of  Tomsk. 

The  Great  Siberian  naain  line,  runnin.g  through  the  Tomsk  government, 
from  till'  river  Ob  to  the  frontier  of  the  Yeniseisk  government,  winds  for  a 
distance  of  5-14  versts  among  the  foothills  of  the  spurs  of  the  Alatau,  cover- 
ed with  vegetation  and  in  soiiie  spots  with  impenetrable  tai.ga  or  forest.  All 
the  Tomsk  mountain  re.gion  is  bordered  on  the  west,  north-west  and  north 
by  vast  lowlands:  the  Kulundinsk  Steppe,  the  Birch  Baraba  and  the  Vasiu- 
gansk  tundras  forming  part  of  thi'  West  Siberian  plain.  The  Geological  struc- 


Alt^i.  valley  of  the  river  Chuya  (phot,  by  Saz6nov). 


ture  of  this  government  is  characterised  by  the  most  marked  contrast  exi- 
sting bt^tween  the  cmnposition  of  the  Altai-Alatati  hi.i;hlaud  and  the  lowlands 
surrounding!:  it.  scanlily  riiddwcd  with   niinei'al   wealth. 


THE  TOMSK  GOVERNMENT. 


•223 


In  ils  seological  striK-tiin',  the  Altai  and  Alatiiu  upland  is  similar  to  all 
lie  yreat  ("ontral-Asiatic  niinintain  riduos  suclx  as:  'I'arhagatai.  Tian  Shan, 
and  otlu'is.  The  crystallinf  nu-ks  are  represented  iiere  by  jci';inite.  syenite, 
'•rystalline  slates,  diorite.  jxirphyry,  serpentine  and  gabbro.  Granite  and  sye- 
nite are  mostly  found  in  the  western  .-Vital.  Diorite  is  scattered  sporadically 
throuiilioiit  the  whole  of  the  .\lt;ii.  hut  is  most  extensively  found    alonii'   the 


Altai.  The  Cn-ya  road  from  the  summit  of  the  Chiki-Taman  pass.  (phot,  by  Sazbnov). 


rivers  Kondoma,  Mias,  Tom  and  in  the  gold-bearing  districts  themselves  ot 
the  Alatau  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Black  Yus  and  the  Yaya.  Porphyry  is 
found  scattered  in  groujis  all  over  this  region,  seri)enline  and  gabbro,  along 
the  river  Clu'iya.  The  hard  sedimentary  rocks  of  the  whole  of  the  Alt;ii-Ala- 
tau  consist  of  sandstone,  slates,  limestone  and  dolomite,  belonging  exclusive- 
ly to  the  most  ancient  palaeozoic  formations..  The  devonian  and  carboni- 
ferous systems  predominate  among  the  palaeozoic  fornuitions.  The  mining 
district  of  the  Tomsk  government  holds  one  of  the  most  important  places 
in  the  whole  Empire  on  account  of  its  mineral  wealth.  This  wealth  was 
known  alread\  in  remote  times  to  nations  dwelling  in  this  region,  as  ma.\ 
be  seen  by  the  remains  of  mining  works  which  still  exist.  In  1726.  Akinti 
Demidov  appeared  as  the  first  promoter  of  Russian  mining  industry  in  tlif 
.\ltai.  which  dates  its  development  from  that  time. 

(iold  is  worked  in  the  Tomsk  government  partly  in  the  quartz  veins  nt 
the  Riddersk  and  Zyrianov  mines  and  the  Altai,  and  partly  got  in  placers 
principally  found  in  the  Kuznet.sk  Alatau  in  the  .Salair  mountains,  and  in  the 


224 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


Maniiisk.  KiiziK'tsk,  Hiisk  nml  HMniaul  <iistricts.  Accdi'dinu-  to  lln' latest  inl'ni- 
niation,  tlic  Mariiiisk  tai^'a  includes  71  mines  willi  an  output  of  ;i2  puds  of 
gold:  the  other  districts  within  the  Altai  region,  lying  along  the  rivers  Mi;is, 
Kondonia,  Hal.vksa,  Kazas  and  .Vbakan  contain  53  mines  with  a  production 
of  85  puds  of  gold,  belonging  to  the  Cabinet  lands  of  His  Majesty.  In  the  same 
space  of  time,  16  puds  of  gold  were  obtained  from  the  mines  of  the  Tomsk 
government  at  the  cost  of  His  Majesty's  Cabinet  e.\clusive  of  private  exploi- 
tation. The  proportion  of  gold  contained  in  the  gravel  varies  from  20  to  8(i 
parts  (dolias)  of  gold  in  Kio  puds  of  gravel.  In  the  Mariinsk  taiga,  the  mines 
are  in  the  hands  of  small  owners  and  are  worked  in  a  rapacious  and  pri- 
mitive way.  The  following  considerable  gold  mining  companies  work  the 
mines  situated  on  the  lands  of  His  Majesty's  Cabinet:  the  Altai  gold  mining 
Company,  with  from  16  to  18  puds  per  annum:  the  South  Altai  gold  mining 
Company  getting  from  40  to  4.3  puds  annually,  Danilov  and  ("omitany.  from 
7  to  8  puds,  and  Kuznetsov  and  Company  about  8  puds. 

The  Great  Siberian  Railway  on  its  way  through  the  mining  districts 
comprising  the  river  system  of  the  Ob,  the  Mariinsk  and  the  Altai  mining 
districts,  will  undoubtedly  exert  an  effect  upon  the  development  and  the 
improvement  of  the  gold-mining  industry  and  attract  capital  and   enterprise. 

Silver,  lead  and  coi)])er  are  to  be  found  at  many  points,  800  of  them 
occurring  in  the  Altai  mining  district.  The  ore  deposits  of  the  Altai  country 
are  divided  into  two  separate  groups  in  respect  of  their  geographical  situa- 
tion: the  first,  under  the  name  of  the  Zmeinogorsk  country  is  situated  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  mining  district  within  the  range    of   the    river   systems 


Two-storeyed  barrel  machine  for  the  washing  of  gold  gravel.  Altai  district,  Dandov's  mine. 


of  the  ()l)  and  the  Irtysh:  the  second,  the  Salair  country,  embraces    the  north- 
eastern lionli'i-  (if  the  miniiiir  district  comprised  within  the  svstem  of  tin-  Tom. 


THE  TOMSK  GOVERNMENT. 


225 


The  entire  silver-lead  exploitation  was  carried  on  from  1747  at  the  cost 
of  His  Majesty's  Pabinet.  However,  since  the  year  issd.  the  Tabinet  has  ob- 
tained silver  only  at  the  Snzansk  works,  this  falling  ofl"  being  due  to  changes 
in  the  economical  conditions  of  the  country,  and  to  the  reduction  in  the  pro- 
ductive capacity  of  the  mines.  The  Zyrianov  mine  with  it.s  tactory  and  the 
Znieyevsk  works,  situated  in  the  Zmeinogorsk  country,  are  entrusted  to  the 
management  of  a  private  coiniiany.  More  cai-cful  explnrations  and  some  im- 
provements in  the  miniuir  industi'y    will    in    the  future  open   wide  prospects 


General  view  of  the  Kolyvan  poiisrrng 


m  inc  Alt4i  distr.  (phot  by  Borisov). 


for  the  mines  of  the  Altai.  Iron  ores  are  to  be  found  at  many  points  of  the 
Tomsk  government,  being  specially  frequent  on  the  slopes  of  the  Salair 
mountain  ridges  and  on  the  Kuznetsk  Alatau. 

Precious  stones,  obtained  in  the  Biisk  district  from  the  quarries  of  the 
Altai  mountains,  are  sent  to  the  Kolyvan  jiolishing  factory  situated  in  tue 
Zmeinogorsk  district,  and  thence  are  forwarded  to  the  Imperial  Court. 

Rich  deposits  of  coal  are  to  be  found  within  the  territory  of  the  Tomsk 
government.  The  Kuznetsk  coal  basin,  401  verst.s  long  and  100  versts  wide, 
is  particularly  noteworthy  on  account  of  the  thickness  of  the  seam  and  the 
extent  of  the  bed.  Its  southern  boundary  lies  within  (iO  versts  south  of  the 
town  of  Kuznet.sk,  this  region  being  divided  by  the  river  Tom.  The  Kolchuirin 
coalpit,  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  this  section,  is  leased  to  the  H]ast- 
Siberian  Metallurgic  Company.  Quite  recently  mining  parties  have  discovered 
many  coal-pits  within  the  range  of  the  Midsiberian  railway  which,  having 
a  most  advantageous  situation,  offer  a  great  i)ractical  interest.  The  coal  bed 
near  the  Siidzhenka  station  is  specially  remarkal)le  with  respect  to  the  thick- 
ness and  quality  of  the  coal.  As  may  be  seen  from  the  analysis  made,  the 
coal  obtained  in  this  district  is    very    similar   to   that    found    in    the   lionets 


226 


(iUIDK  TO  THK  riRKAT  SlIiKIUAN    KAILWAY. 


linsin.  In  thr  yt'iir  isHli,  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  roiniiuiniciilioii  (■(hicIikIimI 
a  corilract  with  Mr.  Micholson,  who  works  tlio  Sudzhonka  mine,  to  supply  tho 
Siberian  ra,ihvay.  At  the  same  titne,  the  Andzharsk  coal-jiit,  near  the  Sud- 
zhenka  station,  bclonsrini;;  to  the  siovornnient.  is  also  to  be  exploited  at  the 
cost  of  the  State  and  by  means  of  the  fund  assigned  for  subsidiary  enter- 
prises in  connexion  with  the  Siberian  railway,  and  tlio  working  capital  of 
the  line. 

Rock  salt  is  obtained  from  the  I'xjrovoi  and  Hiii'hnsk  lakos,  l,\ing  in  tlii' 
Barnaul  district.  The  annual  production  ol'  salt  from  the  Borovoi  lake  is 
WXMJOO  puds,  1,2.50,000  puds  being  obtained  from  the  Burlinsk  lake,  both  con- 
stituting the  principal  salt  producing  centres  of  Western  Siberia. 

Glauber's  salt  is  .got  from  the  Mormyshansk  and  Saltpeter  lakes  in  the 
Barnaul  district,  and  is  chiefly  used  for  the  |.)reparation  of  soda. 

The  mineral  waters  of  the  Tomsk  .government  may  be  divided  into  two 
groups:  1)  hot  mineral  springs,  exclusively  in  the  mountainous  district,  and 
2)  mineral  lakes  scattered  over  the  steppe  land  The  Rakhmanov  and  Belo- 
kiirikha  springs  are  best  known  among  the  Altai  mineral  waters,  and  belong 
to  the  first  division:  the  Solonovka,  Karachi  and  Ustiantsi-v  lakes-to  the  se- 
cond. The  Rakhm.inov  spring  is  situated  in  the  Biisk  district,  almost  on  the 
frontier  of  Mon.golia,  lying  in  the  picturesque  valley  of  Arasan  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  2,034  metres 
above  sea  level.  Arasiin 
or,\rshansanieanswarni 
spring.  The  temperatm-e 
of  the  water  is  very  high, 
and  varies  from  -S-f  to 
42-C.,  as  stated  by  pro- 
fessor Sapozhnikov.  It  is 
colourless,  very  clear. 
has  an  agreeable  tastr 
.iiiil  contains  a  consi- 
deraiile  i(uantity  of  na- 
tural carbonic  acid.  It  is 
reckoned  among  inert 
liot  springs. 

Tlie       Beloki'irikha 

spring    lies    within    (i'i 

versts  south  of  the  town 

ot'Biisk  near  th(M'ilhiL;i' 

■  of  .\ovaya  Belokurikha.    Its    ten\|ieraturi'  rises  to  :i2'C    and,  although  it  lias 

a  slight  sulphuretted  hydrogen  smell,  it  has  a    good  taste,  is  clear  and  soft. 

but  totally  inei't,  containing  but  a  small    cjuantity   of  mineral  salts. 

The  water  of  the  Solonovka  lake,  in  the  Barnaul  district,  is  sti-ongly 
saturated  with  salt,  and  has  a  high  specific  gravity:  bein.g  unfit  for  drinking 
on  account  of  a  predominatin.g  brackish  and  bitter  taste  and  a  slight  smell  ot 
sulphuretted  hydrogen,  it  is  only  employed  for  baths.  The  Karachi  lake  situ- 
ated in  the  Kainsk  district,  within  9  versts  of  the  railwa.\-  station  of  Karachi, 
contains  brackish  and  bitter  water,  having  Imt  a  sliulit  alkaline  reaction 
A  thick  layer  of  .greyish  and  greasy  mire  witit  a  sulpiiuretted  hydi'ogen  smell 
covers  the  bottom  of  the  lake,  and  is  emiiloyed  for  mud  l)aths.  The  I'stiantsev 
lake  lies  in  the  l\:iinsk  district,  witliin  25  versts  of  the  town.   Its    watci'    has 


The  Kolyvan  Frictory. 


THE  TOMSK  GOVERNMENT. 


Ill  iridt'si'rnl  milky  ccilniir.  ;i  lirackish  and  l)itt('r  laslc.  ;i  smell  of  siiliiluiri'ilcd 
hydroircn  and  an  alkaline   reaction. 

The  rivers  waterini;  the  Tomsk  governmcui  ludoim-  to  the  basins  of  the 
Ob  and  the  Yenisei.  The  Ob  basin  comprises  almost  the  whole  territory  of 
the  irovernment  and.  on  aoeount  of  its  size  may  be  sepai-ateil  into  the  Ob 
and  the  Irtysh  river  systems 

The    Yenisei    river- 


Aitat.  LaKe  Rotyvan.  ^phot.  Dy  Borisov;. 

1    the  dm  and  T,-ira  I'lowinir  tliroiiirh  the  Kainsk 
the  \\'est  Siberian  lowland,  belona:  to  the  Irtvsh 


basin  extends  only  over 
the  south-eastern  part 
of  the  Kuznetsk  district, 
traversed  by  its  left  tri- 
butary the  .\bak:ni. 

The  most  important 
atTluents  of  the  Ob  after 
its  Junction  with  the 
rivers  Hiya  and  Kati'in 
are:  the  rhumysh.  Herd, 
Yiiya.  Tom.  Chulym,  K'et. 
Tyni  on  the  right,  and 
the  Peschanaya.  .\niu. 
Charysh,.\lei.Barnaiilka, 
Kosmalla.  Vasiusan.  on 
the  left. 

The  Ulba    and    Uba 
crossinir    the    southern 
part  of    the    government  an 
district,  within  the  limits  of 
river  basin. 

The  government  contains  about  l.MTt  lakes.  In  its  mountainous  part,  the 
following  are  specially  noteworthy.  Lake  Teletsk  (Altynka  or  Golden  Lake) 
about  "0  versts  long,  is  pictures(iuely  situated  at  an  altitude  of  l,7«i2  feet. 
Lake  Talmensk  lies  at  an  elevation  rd'  5,000  feet  above  sealevel:  accordinir 
to  Helmersen.  one  of  the  finest  lakes  in  the  world.  It  has  a  circumference 
of  12  versts  and  is  surrounded  by  the  peaks  of  the  Katun  alps.  Lake  Kolyvan 
has  a  circuit  of  7  versts  and  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  Altai  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  1.180  feet  in  the  midst  of  huge  piles  of  boulders. 

The  northern  section  of  the  Tomsk  and  Mari'insk  districts  and  the  entire 
Xarym  region,  occupying  one-fifth  of  the  whole  territory  of  the  government, 
present  a  continuous  swamp  covered  with  forests,  where  dr,\  and  elevated 
points  are  most  exceptional. 

The  climate  of  the  Tomsk  government  is  Just  as  varied  as  its  surface.  In 
the  northern  portion  of  the  government  it  is  severe,  changeable  and  damp. 
on  the  south-west,  in  the  steppes  and  on  the  southern  slopes  of  the  .\Itai.  it 
is  warmer,  and  of  an  essentially  continental  character.  .\t  Tomsk,  the  aver- 
rage  annual  temperature  is  -0.74,  at  K;iinsk- o..u.  at  Xarym -l.'.tS.  at  Harna- 
iii4-0,34.  .Vt  Xarym,  the  winter  is  .3'  colder  than  at  Tomsk  and  Barnaul.  The 
average  summer  temperature  is  higher  in  the  steppe  region  of  the  govern- 
ment. Southerly  and  south-westerly  winds  prevail.  The  greatest  quantity  of 
rainfall  (38.S.  7  mm.)  occurs  in  Ti>msk,  situated  in  a  country  abounding  in 
forests  and  water.  A  lesser  quantity  (2ri(j.s  mm.  in  Barnaul.  24i'.l  mm.  in 
Kainsk)  belongs  to  the  south-western    part    of  the   gouvernment.    L'pon    the 


228 


oriDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


wlmli'.  till'  cliniatc  is  very  si'vctc.  as  may  lie  scru  Irdiii  (lie  hmtr  prrind  durin,;;; 
which  tiie  rivers  remain  frdst-hoiind:  tVoiii  Iti.")  to  2IS  days.  On  an  average, 
tiie  ice  breaks  up  ai:)()ut  the  l.S  April  and  sets  a.s;ain  on  the  19  October. 

The  flora  of  the  Tomsk  government,  characterisina;  the  region  of  the 
plains,  forming  a  continuation  of  the  West-Siberian  lowland,  and  also  found 
on  the  southern  and  south-western  sides  of  the  Altai  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  Kirgfz  stepiie  borderland,  is  similar  to  the  floraof  the  Tol)61sk  govern- 
ment and  of  the  Aralo-Caspian  depression.  Most  characteristic  is  the  Altai 
mountain  flora,  found  at  a  height  of  2,(K)0  feet  above  sealevel,  and  rei)re- 
sented  by  some  peculiar  species  of  vegetation  common  to  the  whole  of  the 
elevated  mountain  region  of  the  central  Asiatic  highland-  The  Tatar  honey- 
suckle (Lonicera  tatarica),  the  robinia  (Caragana  arborescens)  and  others,  are 
to  be  found  here.  The  greater  part  of  the  Altai  vegetation  corresponds  to 
that  of  the  middle  European  zone,  which  however  l)oasts  of  a  greater  variety 
of  species.  This  comparative  scarcity  is  however  compensated  by  the  luxuri- 
ant development  of  the  existing  species.  The  arboreal  forms  of  the  Altai  forests 
have,  on  an  average,  twice  the  size  of  those  growing  in  the  forests  of  tho 
Atlantic  coast:  and  the  flowering  plants  have  remarkably  large  aud  bright 
coloured  blossoms;  as  for  example  the  aconite,  the  larkspur  and  others,  sur- 
prising the  traveller,  coming  from  the  west,  by  their  sturdy  growth  and  deep 
blue  flowers  rising  high  above  the  bushes. 

The  rich  vegetation  of  tho  Altai  stretches  to  the  utmost  border  of  the  forest 
zone,  which  covers  the  northern  slopes  of  the  Altai  to  a  height  of  from 
.5,000  to  6,000  feet  and  reaches  6,000  feet  on  its  southern  side. 


Aitdi.  Station  of  Aigulak  on  the  Chuya  road  (phot,  by  Saz6nov). 


The  /.line  nf  nliiiin'  herbs  and  bushes  succeeds  to  the  forest  belt,  the  first 
including  man.\  kinds  of  plants  which  are  also  to  he  found  in  the  European 
Alps.  Among  the  wild  plants,  ma,\-  be  mentioned  a  nettle  (Urtica  cannabina) 
whose  fibres  in  the  Xarym  region  are  made  into  thread  and  yarn.  The  „che- 


THE  TOMSK  GOVERNMENT. 


229 


n-msha"  i>r  .kullia"  (Allium  iirsinum)  oct-urs  in  (•(mifcrmis  wiinds  and  is 
iniiiorlant  as  IckhI.  I  litVoriMit  kinds  of  riuiliarl)  j;i-o\v  on  tlie  Altai  mountains. 
The  „kand.vk"  (Erytiirotium  dens  canis)  IVeiiuently  found  in  the  Kuznetsk 
district,  is  a  very  nutfitive  plant,  employed  by  Tatars  and  Russians  as  a 
substitute  for  farinaceous  food.  Its  perennial  roots  are  irathered  in  May 
and  are  eaten  raw  or  boiled  in  milk,  when  they  are  converted  into  a  kind 
of  sweet  Ji'lly. 


Altai.  Station  of  Kurei  on  the  Chuya  road    (phot,  by  Sazonov). 


The  Kondoni  natives  use  this  plant  for  the  preparation  of  an  inloxii-atinir 
beverajre  called  .abyrtka".  The  root  of  the  plant  .karandys"  (Inula  lielenunii 
is  gathered  in  the  .Vltai,  and  exported  as  a  medicine  to  .Mon;rolia.  Tho 
^kyrlyk".  which  i.s  a  kind  of  oat,  grow.s  on  the  slopes  of  the  Altai,  and  is 
sometimes  employed  by  the  natives  as  food  for  themselves  and  as  fodder  for. 
cattle  and  fowls. 

Forests  cover  an  immense  area  in  the  Tomsk  irovernment.  They  are 
particularly  abundant  in  its  northern  [lart,  the  Xarym  country,  and  also  in 
some  parts  of  the  neighbouring  Tomsk,  Mariinsk  and  K;iinsk  districts.  The 
predominating  trees  are:  pine,  red  fir,  larch,  fir  and  .cedar"".  The  KuzntHsk. 
the  southern  part  of  the  Tomsk,  and  the  eastern  side  of  the  Biisk  districts 
are  also  thickly  clothed  with  forests,  which  in  tlie  mountainous  sections  pre- 
sent a  dense  jungle  and  hear  the  name  of  .taiga".  Fir  and  red  fir  jiredomi- 
nate  in  the  first,  the  second  contains;  foliage  trees,  represented  by  birch  and 
aspen  slightly  mixed  with  pine  and  red  fir. 

The  fauna  of  the  Tomsk  government,  within  the  limits  of  the  West  Sibe- 
rian idain  is  very  much  like  that  of  European  Russia.  .Vssuminir  a  great 
variety  of  shapes,  it  is  represented  on  the  Altai  by  both  .Mpim-  and  Mongo- 
lian species.  The  Altiii  is  inhabited  by  the  common  bear  and  a  kind  of  Syrian 


230 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GRKAT  SIBKRIAN'    RAILWAY. 


hear  il'rsus  sureanus  var.  la.iromyarius  Sevpry),  liavinu-  Inn;;-  ami  i-urly  hair 
of  a  liirhter  roloiir.  Resides  the  lynx  and  the  stejipe  cat.  tiiere  are  panthers, 
common  and  red  or  alpine  wolves  tCyon  alpinus.  Pall.),  common  t'uxes  and 
the  „kara,£;an''  (^'lllpes  melanotus.  Pall.)  which  is  like  the  stejipe  fox,  but 
easily  known  bv  its  black  ears,  mountain  and  other  skunks  iPutorius  alpinus 


Altai.  The  station  of  Kuyaktonar  on  the  Chuya  road  (phot,  by  Sazdnov). 


Gelli.  Putorius  altaicus.    Pail).    Putorius  Eversmaui.    Among    the    hooted  aiii-  ^_ 
mals,  besides  the  common  elk,  the  reindeer  and  the   mountain   sheep,  there  ] 
are  the  Altai  black  goat  ^tak-teke"  (Aegoceros  ibex.  Pall.  Capra  Sibirica  Mayer). 
Siberian  roebuck,  the  maral    (Cervus   maral),    muskdeer,    pishchukha   (Tiago- 
mys  alpiiuis  L.  minutu.s;  Pall.)  marmot  (.\rctomys  bobac  Schreb). 

The  bird  species  are  represented  by  gigantic  lammergeyers  (Gypaetus 
barbatus  L.)  Altai  mountain  turkeys,  alpine  partridges,  mountain  capercailzies 
and  partridges,  alpine  daws,  hoopoos.  cormorants  and  others.  Among  the  reptiles, 
there  are  vii)ers  and  I'lve-toed  tritons  (Kanodon  Sibiricus)  peculiar  to  Silieria. 

The  characteristic  feature  of  the  ichthyological  fauna  is  that  it  contains 
only  saliuonoid  sjjecies.  Pike,  gremille,  carp  and  bream,  which  are  fre(pu'nt 
in  other  parts  of  the  government,  do  not  exist  in  the  central  .\ltai.  The  waters 
of  this  region  abound  mostly  in  grayling,  taimen.  uskuch  (Brachymystax 
coregonoides.  Pall.)  Th<>re  are  few  insects  in  the  Altsii,  although  many  ditFe- 
rent  forms  of  grasshoppers  (Oedipoda)  are  to  be  found  in  the  steppe  regions. 
Some  Viu-ieties  of  vertebrated  animals  are  in  i)articular  abundantly  repre- 
sented in  the  Tomsk  government. 

.\s  stated  by  Professor  Kashchenko  of  the  Tomsk  university,  the  country 
is  specially  characterised  by  the  following  large  mammals:  elk,  reindeer, 
maral.  roebuck,  bear,  fox,  lynx,  glutton,  otter,  and  others. 

.Our  counti-y  affords  shelter  to  all"  says  Professor  Kashcln'iiko.  .we  are 
here  living  in  a  time  which  in  Europe  has  long  since  passed  away.  Central 


THE  TOMSK  fiOVKRNMENT. 


•231 


Iviiropt',  with  resjiect  to  its  I'aiiua.  Iirlil  a  similar  iiositidii  almut  2,(kki  years 
ago,  at  the  time  of  Julius  Caesar,  and  the  central  zone  of  Russia,  800  years 
airo.  at  the  time  of  Vladimir  Mononiiilch.  At  present,  however,  evolution  is 
more  rapid,  and  the  time  is  drawin;;  niiih.  wlien  the  primitive,  but  ricii 
c'onditiiins  (if  our  country,  which  now  seems  to  the  stranger  to  helonii  to  far 
distant  days,  will  in  fact  exist  no  more.  Special  attention  must  be  mivfMi  to 
this  rapid  transition  from  past  to  present,  which  is  now  going  on  in  order 
that  it  may  not  deprive  us  of  the  many  advantageous  of  our  wild  nature, 
possessing  a  charm  of  her  own.  .Ml  her  living  creatures  should  he  carefully 
preserved,  not  only  because  they  are  useful,  but  also  because  they  adorn 
natui'e  ecpially  with  ourselves". 

Population.  The  (hud.  belonging  to  tiie  Finnish  race,  were  the  original 
inhabitants  of  the  Tomsk  government:  numerous  barrows,  standing  along  the 
.\ltai  and  the  fertile  valleys  of  the  Kati'in,  Charysh  and  Mel  rivers,  testify 
to  their  presence  there.  In  course  of  time,  the  (^hud  mingled  with  Turkish 
rates;  the  first  inhabited  the  northern  and  north-western  slopes  of  the  .Vltai 


Altai.  Pinewood  on  the  way  to  the  Zyrianov  mines. 


and  Sayan  mountain  groups,  the  second  settled  on  their  southern  side.  Hoih 
occupied  themselves  with  mining  industry,  employing  the  ore  obtained  for 
their  own  use,  and  for  trade  with  the  neighbouring  people.  In  this 
way.  the  gold  and  silver  of  the  .Mtai  reached  the  Greeks  and  th(> 
Scythians,  as  confirmed  by  Herodotos  and  some  of  the  Thinese  chronic- 
lers. The  Mongols,  who  became  famous  from  the  XIII  century  .\.  f)..  united 
under  their  dominion  the  Turko-Finnish  races  of  the  Tomsk  government,  and 
contributed  to  dislodge  the  purely  Finnish  tribes  front  their  original  dwelling 
places  towards  the  north-west,  and  to  the  mixture  of  their  representatives, 
reniaininir  in  the  .\ltiii  reixion.  with  the  Turkish  races.  In  the  XV  century, 
when  the  Golden  Horde  was  already  in  its  period  of  decline,  the  Turko-Finnish 


232 


GUIDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


trilifs.  iiihaliitiiii;  at  that  time  tlic  soulli  nl'  tlir  TnhDlsk  and  tlir  ,iii'<'ali'r  part 
of  the  Tomsk  govt'rnment.  wei'o  ah'oady  free  anil  divided  intosevpral  .smailiM- 
states.  Upon  meeting  with  the  intrepid  Russian  emigrants  and  the  first  Sla- 
vonic settlers  of  Siberia,  they  very  soon  submitted  to  the  Russian  power. 

With  respect  to  population,  the  Tomsk  government  holds  the  first  place 
among  all  the  other  governments  and  territories  of  Siberia;  the  census  of 
1897  gives  a  itopulation  of  I,!i2!),0il2    (S)7i),78n    males.   958..312    females)    whicdi. 


Town  of  Barnaul  (phot,  by  Borisov). 


when  compared  with  the  statistics  of  1890    (1,299,729),  shews  an    increase    of     j 
tV2li.;iti.3. 

.\umber  nf  inhal)itanls  in  tlie  respective  districts: 

TOTAL     POPULATION. 
DISTRICTS. 

Male.  Female.  Total. 

1)  Tomsk  and  .Xary 111  region. .        1:39,912      1:55,577       275,489 

2)  Barnaul 292,104      29:5,240       .■.S5,.344 

.'5)  Biisk 16ti,104       lfi7.217       8:34,042 

4)  Zmeinogorsk 122,554      12n,9:i()       243,490 

5)  Kiiinsk 9.-..44:5        91.1 18       186.561 

0)  Mariinsk 72,023        ()7,84:!       1:59.866 

2.57  1.7 

The  greater  niiiiiber  n{'  inhabitants  falls  in  llie  Harnai'il.  Hiisk  and  Zmei- 
nogorsk districts,  containing  tracts  n!  very  fertile  arable  land,  belonging  to 
the  Imperial  Cabinet  of  Mis  Majesty.  Tlic  ethnographical  divisions  of  the  po- 
pulation are  very  numerous  in  this  government.  The  original  inhabitants  of 
the  country  belong  to  ditferent  tribes  of  the  Uralo-Altaic  I'aces.  representing 
4'  2  per  cent  of  the  total  population;  (Hitlanders.  chiefly  of  the  Slavonic  race, 
form  93'  a  per  cent,  leaving  2'  -'  per  cent  to  other  nations  of  the  Indo-fiuropean 


per  sq. 

verst  in 

1897. 

per    sq 
verst  in 
1890. 

1.0 

0.7 

.5.1 

3.0 

3.4 

2.2 

3.4 

2.2 

2.8 

1.9 

2.1 

1.5 

THE  TOMSK  GO\Ti;KNMENT. 


233 


sinck.  'Pln>  Uralo-Altiiic  race  is  liiviilnl  im.i    i  ililVcri'iil    irilirs:  l>"iiiiis,   Turks. 
Moni^ols  ami  Sanioyi'ds. 

Tilt'  Fiiinisli  trihe  is  rcprosi'iiinl  liy  ilic  Ostiaks,  wlio  arc  rlio  uriiiiiiiil 
natives  of  the  land,  and  l).v  the  .Mofdvii.  Zyri;in.  Cluivasli  doscendant  of  Ilic 
former  settlers.  The  Ustiaks  of  Tomsk  are  the  last  representatives  of  the 
Finnish  stock  in  the  east:  they  inhabit  only  the  noi-thern  |)art  of  theirovern- 


Town  of  Biisk  (phot,  by  Borfsovi 


mcnt,  and  occu|)y  themselves  with  luuiting.  fishin.i!;.  and  i^atherin.:;-  cedar-nuts 
Their  winter  abode  is  a  log-hut  wiiii  :i  chuval  or  hearth:  in  summer  they 
dwell  in  conical  huts  made  of  stakes  covered  with  birch  bark.  Tlie  total  num- 
ber of  the  Ostiaks  in  the  .government  does  not  exceed  2.0(ki. 

The  (.'hulym  Barabii.  Kuznetsk  and  C'hernevy  Tatars  and  thi'  Bukharians 
belong;  to  the  Turkish  tribe  with  an  adnii.Kture  of  the  Finnish  and  even  the 
Mon.ijolian  stock.  Most  of  these  natives  lead  a  settled  life;  many  of  them  closely 
allied  to  the  Russians  have  adopted  the  orthodox  faith.  Others,  as  for  instance 
the  Chernevy  Tatars  refuse  to  ,sive  up  their  nomad  life.  There  are  few  Chris- 
tians in  tlie  country,  where  Shamanism  is  the  jiredominatinji'  reli.iiion.  The 
total  number  of  tlie  representatives  of  this  tribe  throughout  the  vast  terri- 
tory of  the  government  does  not  exceed  StMMMX)  .or  35,000. 

The  Mongolian  race  is  represented  by  the  Teleuts  or  Telengiits  inhabi- 
ting the  .Vital.  The  Telengiits  wandering  about  the  valleys  of  the  river 
Chulysliman,  Hashkaus,  Chiiya  and  rln-  headwaters  of  the  rivers  Anui.  and 
Charysh.  are  called_  I'riankhaets. 

Leading  a  nomad  life,  these  tribes  occupy  themselves  with  cattle-breeding 
and  hunting.  They  are  Buddhists  and  belong  to  the  Mongolian  type.  The  Te- 
lengiits mostly  live  in  movable  tents  called  ^kereche"  composed  of  latticed 
wooden  frames  covered  with  felt.  On  the  northern  slopes  of  the  .Vital,  wooden 
and  biri'h-bark  huts  tyiirtas)  are  met  with.  The  total  number  of  Telengiits 
is  40,000. 


•234 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


The  Samoyed  tribe  occupies  the  Narym  region  Ixmiii;  scttlcil  along  the 
Oil  and  its  trihiitaries  the  Tyin,  Ivetia,  Parabel  and  the  lower  readies  of  the 
''luilyni.  N\'ith  respect  to  their  mode  of  life,  the  Ob  Sanioy(''(ls  differ  from 
their  counti'vinen  dwelling  in  other  river  regions.  They  have  huts  which  are 
constructed  like  th(>  Russian  izba,  while  those  living  on  the  tributaries  of 
the  Ob  have  .x'urtas  like  the  Ostiaks,  witli  whom  they  follow  a  similar  mode 
of  lite.   The  number   of  Samoyeds    in  the  government  is  ti.SiX). 

Among  tlie  other  nationalities,  Poles  hold  the  first  place,  being  t'olldwed  li\- 
■Jews,  Finns  and  Germans.  The  increase  of  the  poiuilation  of  the  Tomsk  uov- 
ernm(>nt  was  effected  by  natural  growth  and  by  means  ot  immigration  of 
e.xiles  and  tree  settlers  from  European  Russia.  The  Kainsk.  Mariinsk  and  the 
northern  portion  of  the  Tomsk  district  are  selected  throughout  the  Tomk  gov- 
ernment for  the  settlement  of  exiles,  who  are  not  admitted  to  the  Altai  min- 
ing district  containing  land  belonging  to  the  Cabinet  of  His  Majesty.  The 
exiles  distributed  in  the  localities,  of  the  Tomsk  ji-overnment  are  of  the  same 
kind  as  those  settled  in  the  Tobolsk  governiiiont  Within  tlie  last  ten  years 
17,(359  exiles,  inclusive  of  those  who  voluntarily  accompanied  tlieni.  have  been 
settled  within  the  confines    of  tho  ihi'oe  northern  disti-icts.    The  considei'able 


Bistiop's  house  in  the  town   of  Bt'islc  (phot,  by  Ovchin). 


increase  of  the  iiopulation.  which  williiii  ilio  last  five  years  has  given,  in 
this  respect,  a  foremost  importance  to  the  Tomsk  government,  is  due  to  the 
great  influx  of  free  settlers,  principally  colonising  the  Altai  mining  district 
Uj)  to  the  year  1865,  settlers  having  received  formal  permission  from  the  Gov 
ernment,  occupied  exlusively  Crown  lands  in  the  northern  itarts  of  the  Tomsk 
government;  those  who  fixed  th<Mr  residence  on  tlir  .\ltai  lands,  belonging 
to  the  Cabinet  of  His  Majesty,  did  so  at  their  own  risk,  without  any  licence 
from  the  Chief  Office  of  the  .Mtai  district  which  strove  carefully  to  protect  the 
country  from  the  intrusion  at  settlers.  Since  18t)5,  when  the  Altai  district  opened 
its  confines  to  colonisation,  the  movement  to  this  region  has  bi'(>n  ever  on  the 
increase.  \>,\  the  year  1889,143,751  colonists  had  settled  (Hi  ilir  lands  belong- 
ing   to  tlio     liuporial  r.ibjnol.  Th"  rush    to  the  fabinet    lands  of  His  Majesty 


THE  TOMSK  GOVERNMENT. 


235 


was  particularly  i-eni.irkal)li'  within  the  last  ten  years  of  the  past  century. 
The  number  of  settlers  (iuriuii-  this  [leriod  exceeded  3t)ti.0fJ().  For  the  present,  no 
new  grains  nf  land  will  be  made  in  the  .\ltai  minins;  district  until  the  former 
settlers  are  properly  estaldisinMl.  L'ntil  a  new  order,  newcomers  can  only  set- 
tle in  already  retrulated  cnmnuines.  upon  receivin.i;  permission  from  their 
rei)reseiitatives,  without  howevei-  obtainins!;  any  assistance  nr  subsidy,  sucii 
MS  are  irranti-d  ti>  pcnsants    emiiiratinsi    to  Siberia  witli  t'ni-mal  iiermissicin  In 


L  ;ie  town  of  Kuznetsk. 


localities  specially  allotted  Ihem,  Tlie  openin.i^  of  traffic  on  the  Great  Sibe- 
i-ian  Railway  eftected  a  considerable  increase  in  tlie  voluntary  colonisation 
of  the  (Jrown  lands  lyinj;  along  the  railway  line  in  tho  Kainsk,  Mariinsk  and 
partly  in  the  Tomsk  districts,  whei-e  the  land  along  the  railway  was  soon 
allotted.  Hence  arose  the  necessity  foi-  findiui^  lots  which,  although  lying  at 
a  greater  distance    from  the  railway,    would  yet  be  availaltle    for  cultivation. 

Besides  the  Baraba  lands  of  the  Kainsk  district  bordered  by  the  west 
Siberiiin  section  of  the  main  line.  State  Secretary  Kiilomzin  on  his  journey 
to  Siberia  in  1896.  with  the  object  of  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  emi- 
gration movement,  has  allotted  to  future  settlers  the  land  situated  along  the 
Mid  Siberian  railway  in  the  Tomsk.  Chulym  and  Chulym-Mariinsk  taigas. 
Vast  areas  called  „yeian"  once  covered  with  ancient  forest  sui)seiiuently  bur- 
ned down,  are  now  dotted  with  fine  birch;  these  lands  have  been  found  fit 
for  settlement,  although  reciuiring  the  application  of  stubborn  and  continues 
labour  (m  the  part  of  energetic  settlers.  These  wooded  sections  situated  in 
the   Tomsk   and  .Mariinsk  districts,  contain  (,'rown  lands  free  to  be  colonised 

Several  medical  and  feeding  stations,  which  are  the  places  of  resideni-e 
of  the  emigration  officials,  are  situated  along  the  railway  lino  at  stations 
and  towns  (Tatarka  station.  Kainsk.  Kargiit  station,  in  the  Kainsk  district. 
Ob  stations, Tomsk. (Tomsk  district).  .Mariinsk.  Bogotol  stati(m(Mariinsk  district). 
Here  settlers  are  registered  and  directed  to  the  unoccupied  lands  of  the 
Tomsk  government.  Within  the  last  five  years,  the  greater  number  of  emi- 
grants came  from  the  governments  of  Kursk,  those  of  Chernigov,  Oriol.  P(dlav,i 
and  Kharkov  having  contributed  to  the  ru'ivement  in  a  somewhat  less  proportinn. 


■2:i6 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Tht'  followinsi-  croctinns  have  l)Ceii  mailc  at  the  cost  ofthi'  fund  nt  thcHiupcror 
Alexander  111  in  the  Tomsk  govtTnnient  in  order  to  satisfy  the  reliijions  needs  of 
the  entire  population  dwelling  within  the  range  of  the  Great  Siberian  main  line: 

1)  Three  wooden  churches  at  the  Ob.  Taiga  and  Bogotol  stations. 

2)  Four  wooden  churches  in  the  settlement  of  Alexandre vsk  and  in  tliose 
of  Oboyan,  Belgorod  and  Belovodsk  (Mariinsk  district). 

•i)  The  Xovo-Rozhdi'stvensk  settlement  (Tomsk  district),  and  -Sviatosl.ivsk 
(.Mariinsk  district),  contain  two  wooden  churches  with  schools. 

4)  .A  stone  church  is  in  process  of  construction  iu  the  Novo-Xikohievsk 
settlement  on  the  Mid-Siberian  Railway. 

5)  Eighteen  churches  (9  of  wood  and  9  of  stone)  are  being  erected  in  the 
following  settlements:  (,'onst;intinovo.  Mokhovoe.  Mikhailovo.  Xikohievo,  Xovo- 
alexi'uidrovka,  Poltavka,  Kulikovo.  Ivanovo.  Mikhiiilovsk.  Xovo-Xikolaevo,  of  St. 
Alexandra,  Mirgorod,  Gromachev.sk  Mikhailovska  (Scmihizhensk  volost),  Ula- 
novsk,  Kazanskoe,  Xeknisovo,  Preobrazhenskoe. 

ti)  Six  schools  have  been  built  in  the  settlement  of  Oboyan.  Belovodsk. 
Belgorod,  Onol-Rozovsk,  Ivanovsk,  Kursk  (Mariinsk  district).  Xovorozhdcst- 
vensk,  Mikhailovsk.  Kazanskoe,  X'ekrasovo  (Tomsk  district). 

7)  Five  schools  in  the  settlement  of  St.  Alexandra,  Uianovsk,  Konstan- 
tiiiovo,  Mokhovoe,  Gromachevsk  are  in  process  of  construction. 

Agriculture,  cattle-breeding,  bee-keeping,  hunting,  forestry  etc.  are  the, 
main  sources  of  the  prosperity  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Tomsk  government. 

Agriculture  is  the  predominant  occupation  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Tomsk 
gi)vernment,  exclusive  of  the  swampy  Xarym  region,  the  northern  portion  of 
the  Mariinsk  district  and  the  hilly  parts  of  the  Biisk  and  Kuznetsk  districts. 
The  Barnaul.  Bi'isk  and  Zmeinogorsk  districts  present  large  areas  of  corn-land. 

The  system  of  husbandry  ado])ted  here  is  the  same  as  in  the  Tolx.lsk 
government,  characterised  by  the  fallow  land  system;  it  can.  liowever  scarce- 
ly be  considered  as  a  settled  one,  as  it  depends  upon  the  (luantity  of  arable 
land,  the  condition  of  the  soil  and  many  factors,  and  above  all  upon  the 
economic  prosperity  of  each  householder.  The  predominating  type  of  ^sokha" 
or  primitive  plough  is  called  ,kolesianka".  The  administration  being  chiefly 
occupied  with  the  improvement  of  husbandry,  is  propagating  more  rational 
systems  of  agriculture  and  has  established  for  this  purpose  agronomical 
schools  with  farms  and  apiaries,  stores  of  agricultural  machinery  and  various 
kinds  of  seeds. 

The  efforts  of  the  West-Siberian  Agricultural  Society  tend  towards  the 
improvement  and  i)rogress  of  husbandry  in  the    government. 

The  following  statistics  for  the  years  1894,  189.5  and  1986.  shew  the  i[iuin- 
tity  of  grain  sown  and  the  total  crops  raised  inthegovernmeut  during  this  period" 

1894.  1895.  1896. 

Sown.        Raised.  Sown.  Raised.  Sown.        Raised. 

Winter  wheat 47..375     223,739  24.991  r27,.354  11,182       (i2.117 

Winter  rye 21(),73.5  1,204,071  2;W,482  1,250,880  180,855     027,110 

Spring  wheat .508,8:!0  3,198,.5o3  550,704  3,414,40<j  021.521  2.910.;i57 

Spring  oats   422,1,54  2,421.551  531,559  2.04«,514  59.5,544  :V218,257 

Spring  barley  74.702     4.55,931  78,291  4I34,.347  72,014     411,786 

Spring  buckwheat 21,313      109,724  12,973  74,005  12,988       01.280 

Various  corn  crops  .. .  159..'i82     796.720  145,125  457.t)85  170,110     890,406 

i'otatoes  . 98,409     670,930  135,908  808,384     242,159 880,234 

TUTAI 1,545,906  9,080,781  1.730,033  9,281.781  1,90.5,373  9,001,0.37 


THK    TOMSK  COVKRNMKNT.  287 

Till-  .|iianlit,v  of  grain  sown  and  tlie  ci-ops  raised  sliowod  no  ialiin.ii-  ol 
dui-ing  till"  tollowinu-  tliroo  yoars.  As  may  ho  sei-n  iVoni  tlic  aliovo  figures,  the 
i|uantity  of  grain  sown  in  tin-  government  and  especially  in  the  distrirts  of 
the  Altai  mining  region,  lying  within  the  range  of  the  (ireat  sil.erian  Railway, 
not  only  suffices  for  the  public  sui»ply.  but  also  yields  a  surplus  of  grain, 
which  can  be  exported  into  the  interior  of  the  Empire  and  abroad,  to  the 
amount  of  some  millions  of  puds.  According  to  the  statistics  of  the  Altai 
mining  region,  the  grain  surplus  is  22,000 ()(H)  puds  per  annum,   obtained    in 

pari 


the  regiim  from  the  1.(KK).(I0<i  desiatins  of  land  sown  which    is    only 
of  the  total  arable  land. 

(attle-breeding  in  also  an  important  element  in  the  husbandry  of  the 
Tomsk  government,  constituting  indeed  the  sole  resource  of  the  wandering 
Telenguts  and  Tatars.  The  extensive  pastures  and  abundant  hay  crops,  which 
are  frei|uent  in  this  region,  (contribute  in  a  great  measure  to  the  developuieni 
of  liiis  feature,  as  is  testified  by  the  noteworthy  increase  in  the  number  of 
cattle  throughout  the  region.  The  following  statistics  from  ISU  and  ISDO 
ilkisiraie  the  gradual  progress  of  cattle-raising  in  the  country. 

1891.  1896. 

Horses 1,297,81,S  1,740,033 

Cattle 807,380  1,027,848 

Sheep 2,227,455  1,317,102 

On  the  average,  a  peasant  liousehold  owns:  (j.l  horses.  4.1  head  of  cattle 
and  10  sheep. 

With  respect  to  the  number  of  horses  and  other  kinds  of  cattle,  the  Bar- 
naul district  occupies  the  first  and  the  Hiisk  the  second  place. 

For  the  imiirovement  of  horse-breeding,  the  administration  nf  the  State 
studs  has  organised  stables  in  Tomsk,  thi-  stallions  being  sent  in  summer 
to  different  parts  of  the   government. 

The  considerable  quantity  of  meat  required  in  Ivisierii  .Siberia  for  the 
mines  and  gold-works  also  serves  as  an  inducement  to  extend  cattle-breeding. 

The  rearing  of  the  domesticated  „maral"  or  mountain  deer  (Cervus  maral) 
is  one  of  the  local  industries  practised  exclusively  in  the  Biisk  district,  which 
contains  about  2,000  tame  manils.  Their  horns  are  particularly  valuable.  Taken 
from  the  male  and  sawn  off  at  the  root  at  the  end  of  June,  they  are  boiled 
in  salt  water  in  order  to  jirevent  decay,  and  are  sold  at  the  rate  of  R.  5  to 
7  a  pud.  The  wholesale  merchants  sell  them  in  Cliina  for  R.  20  to  25  a  pud. 
The  Chinese  prepare  a  vivifying  remedy    from   the   extract   of   these   horns. 

The  extensive  development  of  beekeeping  in  the  Tomsk  government 
characterises  this  country  among  all  others  in  Siberia,  which  in  this  respect 
surpasses  all  the  governments  of  European  Russia.  This  industry  is  [iractiseil 
in  the  .Mtiii  mining  region,  more  especially  in  the  Biisk  and  Zmeinogi'.rsk 
districts,  which  reckon  577.109  beehives  and  U.lO.'i  aidai-ies,  producing  yearly 
over  3,CKR».000  pounds  of  honey  and  above  lo.lXK)  puds  of  wax. 

Model  apiaries  with  framed  beehives  belonging  to  new  systems  are 
already  to  be  found  in  the  Kuznetsk  district.  A  bi'ekeeper.  living  in  the  town 
of  Barnaul  and  editini;  the  Journal  called  ...Xorthern  .Viiicuitiire".  is  appointed 
by  tlie  (invernment  foi-  the  instruction  of  the  pojinlation  ami  the  propagation 
of  rational  systems. 

Fishing  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  .Xarym  natives  and  of  the  inhald- 
tants  (d'  the  northern  iiortiims  of  tin-  T'Uiisk  and  Mariinsk  districts.    It   is   of 


238  0111015  TO  THE  GREAT  SIIiKKIAN  RAILWAY. 

prime  importance  as  a  source  of  revenue  in  I  he  central    zone  of  the  govern 
ment  only  for  the  inhaijitants  aU)ng  the  river  OIj.  The  fisli  talion  in  summer 
are  salted  and  dried,  while  the  winter  catch  is  frozen.    In  summer,  so  called 
^pozioni"  is  prepared  from  sterlet,  syrok  and  muksiin.  The  fish  is  split  open, 
freed  from  liones,  salted,  dried  in  the  air  and  slijihtly    snu)lved. 

Hunting  and  trapping  are  on  the  decrease  every  year  in  proportion  to 
the  increase  of  the  population.  This  industry  is  still  practised  in  the  Xnrym 
country,  in  the  taigA  parts  of  the  Kuznetsk  and  Mariinsk  districts  and  in 
that  of  Biisk.  About  1,0()0  |)eople  are  so  occupied  in  the  Xarym  country. 
Siiuirrel.  kolonka.  sable,  fo.\,  ermine,  bear  and  otter,  and  wild  dui-k,  swan, 
geese,  capercailzie  and  hazel-hen  among  birds,  are  the  principal  oiy'ects  of 
the  hunter.  On  an  average,  100,000  siiuirrels  are  anually  taken  by  Ostiak  men 
and  women.  Next  in  importance  come:  3,000  kolonkas,  1,500  sables,  1,(XK)  foxes, 
.')00  enuines.  about  ')0  to  100  otters  and  about  30  bears  Every  year  a  great 
number  of  ducks  are  taken  in  this  region:  ;i  hunter  sometimes  gets  some 
■ioo  of  them  in  one  night.  The  Narym  region  abounds  in  lakes;  in  the  autumn 
before  their  migration,  the  ducks  gather  in  immense  flocks  and  in  the  evening 
ly  from  one  lake  to  another.  The  fowlers,  availing  themselves  of  this  habit, 
select  two  lakes  and.  making  a  clearing  between  them,  stretch  a  net  across 
the  opening.  The  ducks,  frightened  from  one  lake,  fly  by  the  clearing  to  the 
otiier  and  get  entangled  in  the  net.  They  are  then  removed  one  by  one  and 
killed  by  biting  through  the  back  of  the  head.  Part  of  these  ducks  are  sold 
and  part  salted,  smoked  or  dried  and  stored  for  the  coming  year,  .\bout 
.•ioO,(KX)  si[uirrels.  100,(XX)  striped  squirrels,  15,(X)0  hares.  lO.(XX)  „kol(')nka". 
3,tXK)  skunks,  1.200  saldes,  1,0(X)  ermines,  .350  foxes,  .3a)  deer,  1.50  roelnick. 
.')()  bears,  20  gluttons  and  as  many  otters  ai-e  killed  in  the  Kuznetsk  district, 
where  2,000  people  are  en.gaged  in  this  industry.  The  approximate  number 
of  birds  taken  in  the  same  district  are  50,000  hazel-hens,  1.000  capercailzie, 
lo.noo  blackcock.  10,000  duck  and  5,000  partridges.  The  Mari'insk  district 
numl)ers  only  ;i00  trappers,  the  industry  there  being  practised  on  a  smaller 
scale.  In  the  Biisk  district,  there  are  at  least  2..500  people  engaged.  Besides 
all  the  above  mentioned  animals,  this  southern  and  hilly  district  contains 
in  addition  various  kinds  of  roebuck,  mountain  sheep,  kabarga  and  maral. 
The  average  annual  yield  in  this  district  is  20  manils,  500  roebuck,  (iO  bears, 
■100  foxes,  100  badgers,  50  lynxes,  20  gluttons,  1,700  „kol6nkas",  lOO.(xX)  squir- 
rels, 2iM  sables,  400  ermines,  50  otters,  1,000  hares,  7,.5'.)0  blackcock,  .').(H)()  hazel- 
hens  and  1,(XK)  magpies,  whose  feathers  are  sent  abroad  to  adorn  ladies'hats. 
The  law  restricting  hunting  has  not  yet  been  introduced  in  the  Tomsk 
government. 

The  cedar-nut  trade  is  carried  on  in  the  .\arym  region  in  the  northern 
parts  of  the  Tomsk  and  Mai'iinsk  districts  and  in  the  mmuitainous  localities 
of  the  Kuznetsk  and  Hiisk  districts.  Tomsk  is  the  chief  m.-irket  for  the  sale 
of  these  nuts.  From  :300,tKK)  to  400,000  i)uds  of  nuts  are  gathered  in  a  good 
year;  they  are  sold  at  the  rate  of  R.  l-5()  k.  to  R  2-50  k.  a  pud.  Xut  gathering 
in  the  forests  begins  on  the  10  August  and  ends  on  the  15  September.  The 
cones  are  got  by  climhing  or  shaking  the  trees;  in  more  remote  spots,  huge 
trees  cenliu-ies  old  are  ruthlessly  felled  with  the  same  object. 

The  greater  part  of  the  nuts  are  sent  by  the  rivers  Chulym  and  Ob  to 
Tiumr'u  and  thence  to  Kuropean  Russia,  while  a  part  is  conveyed  by  the 
Siberian  Railway.  In  IS'.iS,  132.:!0(j  puds  of  cedar-nuts  were  brought  by  the 
Midsiberian  Railway  to  diffrrent  pl;ices  in  tln^  West. 


THE  TOMSK  GOVERNMENT.  -280 

The  domestic  industries  carried  mi  in  tlie  Tomsk  government  include  the 
making  of  various  articl(>s  of  wood  such  as  axles,  wheels.  „dugas"  or  yokes, 
sledges  etc..  the  manufactor.v  of  felt  hoots.  |>ot,tery.  the  dressing  of  skins,  the 
tanning  of  hides  and  the  smith's  handicraft  These  industries  are  not  develop- 
ed in  the  Barnaul  district,  whose  sheepskin  shiihas  dyed  hlack  are  well 
known  under  the  name  of  .liarnaulki". 

Factories  and  wiirks  make  Init  little  progress  in  the  Tomsk  government, 
although  agriculture,  cattle-hreeding.  and  the  forest  and  minin.g  industries 
yield  abundance  of  raw  materials.  According  to  ofticial  inforniaiion,  there 
are  2.o;?l  factories  and  works  and  4,139  flour-mills  in  the  government.  In  ISiUi, 
industry  in  towns  and  districts  was  represented  as  follows: 

DISTRICTS.  Manufac-        Workmen  Output  in  rubls. 

tones.  employed.  ^ 

Tomsk 4ii7  3.I1I6  2,77S,27.T 

Kain.sk l.y2U  2.15S  263.85G 

Mariinsk 231  469  218,953 

Barnaul ()59  l.OoS  4(K).441 

Biisk 1  .tKK1  1  .,575  394,301; 

Kuznetsk 749  1.121  77,821 

Zmeinogorsk 1,105  1,591  259,541 

6,170  11,168  4,393,253. 

The  chief  industries  represented  are:  15  distilleries,  with  a  revenue  of 
R.  1,199.290:  12  hreweries.  yielding  H.  5.5S.045:  291  tanneries,  yiekiinu^  H. 
427.8;i:i;  48  wheat-llour-mills.  giving  R.  401,6:^0. 

The  following  manufactories  are  particularly  noteworthy  on  account  of 
the  technical  jirocesses  employed:  1)  2  glassworks  in  the  Barnaul  and  Biisk 
districts,  producing  glass  and  glass  vessels,  mainly  for  vodka.  The  material 
ri'ipiired  is  oluained  within  the  government.  The  annual  output  amounts  to 
R.  165,ax).  2)  The  soda  works  of  Mr.  Prang,  situated  in  the  Barnaul  district, 
dates  from  1864,  and  was  the  first  of  the  kind  to  be  established  in  Russia. 
The  soda  is  obtained  from  the  filauber's  salt  of  the  Mariinsk  Lake  in  the 
Barnaul  district.  The  annual  production  amounts  li>  R.  40.(XKJ.  3)  51  wax  bleach 
yards  and  taper  manufactories  sending  most  of  thoir  ju-oduce  to  Irbit.  The 
value  of  their  annual  i»roduction  exceeds  R.  2tiO,(.HKi. 

Trade.  A  considerable  quantity  of  raw  products  is  sent  from  the  Tomsk 
government  to  the  home  markets  in  the  West  of  the  Empire  as  also  to  East- 
ern Siberia.  .\ll  colonial  goods,  groceries  and  drugs,  almost  all  manufactured 
.uoods  are  inip(U-ted.  Buying  and  selling  is  carried  on  at  the  fairs,  held  in 
difi'erent  districts,  whose  number  exceeds  7o  tor  the  whrde  government.  The 
most  important  among  them  are:  the  Suzunsktvya,  Krntikhinskaya,  Berdska.\  a, 
in  the  Barnaul  district:  the  Zmcinogorskaya.  Antonievskaya  in  the  Zmeino- 
gorsk district;  the  Smok-nskaya  in  the  Biisk  district;  the  Briukhiinovskaya  in 
the  Kuznetsk  district  and  the  Spas  fair  in  the  Kainsk  district:  the  yearl.\ 
business  of  the  fairs  amounts  to  about  R.  tJ.OOO.OOti  to  R.  7.0<k:i,(HXI. 

The  Great  Siberian  main  line,  by  bringing  new  life  into  the  .governments 
of  Siberia,  is  already  producing  considerable  changes  in  the  trade,  which  is 
particularly  noticeable  by  the  towns  and  large  villages  situated  along  it. 

The  former  dependence  of  the  small  trading  firms  on  the  town  of  Tomsk  is 
little  by  little  disap|iearin.ir:  in  the  shojis  of  district  towns  and  large  settlements, 
are  now  to  be  k)und  Vienna  furniture,  sewinir  machines,  various  in.struuients, 


•240 


GUIDK  TO  TIIK  GRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


and  other  goods  obtained  tVuni  Ihe  capitals,  formerly — known  unly  li,\  hearsay 
to  the  country  population,  who  had  to  be  satisfied  with  the  trash  from  the 
li-bit  fair  and  the  spoilt  groceries  of  Tomsk.  The  foreign  trade  of  the  Tomsk 
government,  which  on  the  south  is  bordered  by  the  frontier  of  the  Chinese 
Kinpire.  is  carried  on,  in  insignifieant  proportions,  by  the  merchants  of  Hiisk 
li.\  till'  highway  for  pack-animals  through  the  liussian  frontier  settlement  ot 
lvn.sh-.\i;ach.  whence  there  is  a  ca,rria,!re  road  to  the  Chinese  tmvn  of  K<ilido. 


Altcii.  The  river  Chuya  on  the  Kosh-Agich  plateau  (phot,  hy  Sazdnov). 

The  articles  ot  export  are  manufactured  and  millinery  goods,  iron  and  copper 
wares,  tanned  leather  and  maral  horns.  In  exchange,  the  Russian  merchants 
get  brick-tea,  furs,  silk  stuflts  and  small  wares  of  Chinese  manufacture.  This 
foreign  trade,  with  a  value  of  only  a  few  hundred  thousand  rubis.  has  not 
yet  attained  its  due  development,  on  account  of  the  dilVicultics  of  the  com- 
munications with  Kosh-Agiich. 

IJttle  profit  is  yet  got  from  the  natural  mineral  wealth,  hithert<i  scarcely 
explored,  of  the  Tomsk,government  and  the  Altai  mining  district.  New  railway- 
lines  howev(;r  are  projected  to  join  the  Grand  Trunk,  through  the  fertile  lands 
lying  at  the  foot  of  the  Altsii  and  .Vlatau.  with  a  view  to  promote  the  econo- 
mical growth  of  the  country.  The  most  im|)ortant  direction  of  these  contem- 
plated lines  will  join  one  of  the  stations  of  the  Mid-Siberian  railway  with 
Tashkent,  passin.g  through  the  towns  of  Barnaul.  Semi|ialatinsk    and  X'l'i-ny. 


HI  P.I.I  i»(i!r\  I'll  Y.~ 

1)  List  of  inliiil)iti'(l     loi'alities  in  the  Tomsk  liovcr-iiini'iit.    I'lilil.  by  the    Centnil    Stiilistical 
Coniiiiitti-e,   IHCiK. 

2)  Vfthists  and  inhiil.iteil  places.   189.^.  I'ubl,  by  the  Central  Statistieal  fdniinittee.   lH<t4. 
.-?)  Materials  for  the  stndy  of  the  eoononiic  life  of  the  peasants  and  natives  of  Western    Sibe- 
ria. I'ubl.  by  the  .Min.  of  State  Domains.  I'ts.  XIV— XIX 


EASTERN  SIBERIA.  241 

4)  Notes  of  till"  Wrsl-Siberian  branch  of  the  Imperial  Russian  GeogTapliical  Societv  1880— 
IWH). 

5)  ApiK-ndix  to  the  reports  of  the  Governor  of  Tomsk  presented  to  His  Imperial    Majesty. 
t>)  Silu'rian  trade  and  industry  calendars.  Ptihl.  by  Romanov.   1807 — 1890.  Tomsk. 

7)  Guide  to  the  journey  of  His  Imperial  Iliphuess  the  Tsp.<arevich.  St.  Ptg.  1891. 

81  Report  l>y  State  Secretary  Ki'ilonizin  on  his  journey  to  Siberia  for  the  iuvestipation  of 
the  emieration  movement.  St.-Petersbg-.  1890. 

0)  .\ppendices  to  the  reports  of  the  Min.  of  Agriculture  and  State  Domains  presented  to  His 
Imperial  .Majesty,  nfter  his  journey  to  Siberia  in  the  autumn  of  189"i  and  in  (he  summer  of  1898. 
St.-Petersburc.'l899. 

10)  Geological  investicrations  and  explorations  along  the  line  of  the  Siberian    Railway.    Pts. 
I— XVI. 

1 1 )  Scientific    sketches   of   the     Tomsk     eovernraent.     Edited      by    Professor    Kashchenko. 
Tomsk.  1898. 

12 1  In  the  Altii.  Diary  of  the  journey  of  Professor  Sapozhnikov.  Tomsk.  1897. 


Eastern    Siberia. 

Ea,stern  Siberia,  in  res])ect  of  its  administration,  is  subjected  to  a  Gover- 
nor General,  and  comprises  the  Yeniseisk  and  Irkiitsk  .irovernments  and  the 
territory  of  Yakutsk.  It  covers  a  superficial  area  of  132,600  square  .seo.srraphi 
cal  miles,  and  contains  a  population  of  1,82<S.150  as  shewn  by  the  census  of 
1897,  principally  concentrated  within  the  ran.ire  of  the  Great  Siberian  highway 
which,  as  the  chief  cemmercial  artery  of  the  colintry,  ever  attracted  the  economic 
life  of  Eastern  Siberia.  The  Great  Siberian  mainline,  runnins:  from  the  boun- 
dciry  oi  Eastern  Siberia  across  the  Tomsk  .government  to  Lake  Baikal,  has 
chosen  its  course  throiiirh  localities  contiiruous  to  the  Siberian  trade  route, 
thus  extendini:  its  miirhty  influence  not  only  throutrhout  the  Yeniseisk  and 
Irkutsk  irovernments,  but  also  over  the  more  distant  Yakiitsk  territory. 

The  Yenis(-isk  irovernment,  lyinii  between  52°33'  and  77°  X.  lat.  and  between 
47"  and  80°  E.  lon.g.,  comprises  the  western  portion  of  Eastern  Siberia.  Havin.ir 
a  .greater  extension  from  south  to  north  (2,800  versts)  than  from  west  to  east 
(\.:MXi  verstsi,  this  sovernment  is  only  infi-rior  in  size  to  the  Yakiitsk  terri- 
tory, thus  holdinir  the  second  place  in  the  Empire.  It  covers  an  area  of 
14,.i42  square  miles  and  is  for  purposes  of  administration  divided  into  ti 
districts:  Yeniseisk  with  the  Turukh.insk  re.gion,  Achinsk.  Krasnoyarsk,  Kansk. 
.Minusinsk  und  Usinsk  situated  on  the  border  of  the  srovernment. 

The  Irkutsk  srovernment.  lyin;r  yvithin  .")1°  and  62^.30'  X.  lat..  and  within 
»>»>'  and  86-.30  E.  lonir..  comprises  the  south-eastern  part  of  Eastern  .Siberia. 
and  has  a  superficial  area  of  14..542  square  miles.  It  is  divided  into  5  districts: 
Xizhneiidinsk.  Balansran.sk.  Kiren.sk.  Irkiitsk  and  Verkholensk. 

^Vith  respect  to  its  superficial  confisuration.  the  Yeniseisk  .Ecovernment 
is  very  varied  and  tnay  be  divided  into  two  sections:  one  lying  to  the  north 
and  containing  the  Turukh;insk  region  and  the  northern  part  of  the  Yenisi-isk 
district  characterised  by  a  scarce  population  and  stony  and  swampy  districts 
unfit  for  cultivation;  the  other  stretching  southward  and  comprising  the 
.\chinsk.  Krasnoyarsk.  Kan.sk,  Minusinsk,  l^sfn.sk  and  part  of  the  Yeniseisk, 
district  with  stretches  of  steppe  land  and  mountain  ranges  fit  for  agriculture 
and  cattle-breeding. 

The  Irkutsk  government  is  es.sentialiy  mountainous:  plains  and  river 
valleys  occupy  only  a  small    part  of  its   area.   Alpine   mountains   cover    the 


242  GUlnE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

soiitli-wcslern.  the  south  anil  siuilh-i'aslcrn  [lai-t  dfthr  ,i;(nrniiiiriit  anil  skin 
the  western  and  south-eastern  shores  ol"  Haikal.  The  ,i;-rand  Sayan  moun- 
tain-chain occupies  the  s(uithern  borders  of  both  governments.  A  line  of 
posts,  representing  the  frontier  dividing  Russian  territory  from  China,  runs 
along  the  top  of  the  mountains,  following  the  direction  of  the  Xt'-rchinsk 
highway. 

The  Sayan  chain  stretches  in  a  solid  mass  across  the  territory  of  Yeni- 
seisk and  through  the  western  part  of  the  Irkutsk  government,  putting  out 
branches  which  run  far  into  the  interior  of  the  territor.\ .  The  Sayan  system 
is  more  intricate  on  the  southeast  of  the  Irkutsk  government,  where  it  sepa- 
rates into  parallel  ridges  broken  by  perpendicular  valleys,  among  which  the 
numerous  left  ti'ibutaries  of  the  Angara  wind  their  course  towards  tiie  pla- 
teau of  Eastern  Siberia.  The  Sayan  chain,  after  joining  the  Altai  mountains 
west  of  the  river  Yenisei,  bears  the  name  Shabin-Ola  or  Belogorie,  and 
is  called  Ergik-Targak-Taiga  east  of  the  Yenisei.  Towards  the  south, 
there  is  a  wide  plain  within  the  limits  of  the  Chinese  Emjiire  which, 
being  surrounded  by  mountains,  was  the  cradle  of  the  Turkish  tril>es 
which  thence  spread  all  over  Asia.  The  highest  mountain  grou|>  of 
the  Sayan  chain  rises  at  the  south-eastern  corner  of  the  Irkutsk 
government;  its  summits,  covered  with  perpetual  snow,  reach  an  altitude  of 
11,430  feet  at  their  most  elevated  point,  Munku-Sardyk  or  Silver  Mountain 
which,  feedinu'  considerable  glaciers,  stands  on  the  frontier  of  the  Chinese 
Hin|iire.  .Xumerous  ridges  stretch  north  of  these  peaks,  the  Biriusinsk  moun- 
tains rising  to  a  height  of  6,200  feet  at  the  south-western  corner  of  the 
Irkutsk  government,  being  the  most  considerable  among  them.  Further  are 
the  Minsk  mountains,  the  Kitoi  Alps  and  the  Tunkinsk  belkl  following  to  the 
north  the  valley  of  the  Irkiit. 

The  Baikal  mountains,  the  Khamiir-I)ab:in.  the  Littoral  andttkijtsk  ridges 
leaving  the  Sayan  in  detached  parallel  lines,  skirt  the  wiile  valley,  which 
yields  shelter  to  the  Baikal,  one  of  the  grandest  fresh  water  lakes  in  the  worlil. 

The  chief  range  of  the  Sayan  and  its  branches  consist  mainly  of  cry- 
stalline rocks  such  as  granite,  syenite,  porphyry,  diabase,  diorite,  gneiss  and 
ci-ystalline  slate.  Basalt  and  dolorite  are  to  be  found  on  the  slopes  of  the 
Munku-Sardyk  at  the  Khanginsk  Military  Post  and  near  the  Tiinka,  along  the 
river  Irkiit  close  to  the  south-western  shore  of  the  Baikal,  und  also 
between  the  rivers  Sliudianskaya  and  Tjilaya,  on  the  lower  reaches 
of  the  Ilim,  along  the  course  of  the  .\ngara.  while  volcanic  tufa,  obsidian  and 
l)umice  occur  on  the  banks  of  ils  affluents.  The  deep  Tiinka  valley  contains 
lava  hills:  the  currents  of  lava  on  the  Yelovsky  branch  testify  that  this  re- 
gion in  former  times  contained  numerous  volcanos.  of  which  the  earth(|uakes 
occurring  somewhat  frequently  in  Irkutsk  bear  evidence  to  the  present  day. 
The  slopes  of  the  Sayan  mountains  are  covered  with  sedimentary  rocks  con- 
sisting of  sandstone,  slate  and  limestone  of  the  Silurian,  devonian  and  carbo- 
niferous formations.  M  some  distance  from  the  Say;in  ridges,  sandstone  pre- 
dominates among  the  sedimentary  rocks. 

Eastern  Siberia  is  endowed  with  very  great  mineral  wealth:  alluvial  gold 
was  first  found  in  the  year  1830,  afterwards  it  was  discovi'ied  throughout 
the  vast  territory  of  the  government.  Gold  is  mostly  found  in  the  sand  of 
rivers  and  small  streams. 

The  geological  formaticni  of  the  deposits  is  various,  hut  shews  a  predo- 
minance of  slate  rocks.  The  thickness  of  the  goldbearing    strata  varies  from 


EASTERN  SIBERIA. 


243 


2  111  :i  sa/hi'iis.  ami  their  cxli-iii  fidiii  1  in  ."iii  versts.  Tlic  prdiiorlicm  u[  irold 
is  also  (lificn'iit  according  to  tln'  ilr]i!li  .if  tlif  dciiosit.  The  gold  strata  ai-c 
iisiiall.v  covered  l)y  a  layer  of  ailiivimii,  called  the  ..turf". 

The  gold  iiiining  regions  o|'|hi\sroverniiieiit  ari' administered  and  managed 
hy  the  two  milling  departments  of  Tom.sk  and  Irknlsk.  .\11  the  gold-mines 
of  the  Yeiiisi'isk  gnvernment  ]iertain    to    tiie   Tomsk""' cie|iarlmenls.    with    the 


M^ 

r 

Gold« 


Yeniseisk  distric 


exception  of  those  which,  included  in  the  Biriusinsk  group  are  divided  iiiin 
three  mining  districts:  Acdiinsk-.Minusinsk.  coniiirising  the  mines  id'  ilie 
.\chinsk.  Minusinsk  and  I'sinsk  districts;  Smith  Yi'iiisi'-isk.  containing  the  snuih- 
ern  |tart  of  the  Yenisi'isk  district,  the  Krasnoyarsk  and  Kansk  districts;  and 
the  North  Yenis(''isk.  with  the  northern  |iart  nf  the  Yeniseisk  district.  The 
mining  district  of  Hiriusinsk  is  under  the  management  of  the  mining  depart- 
ment of  Irkiitsk. 

In  the  Achinsk  district,  most  ot  the  gold  mines  occur  in  the  valle.\s  of 
rivers  and  small  streams  belonging  to  the  basin  of  the  Chulym,  and  ahmg 
the  unimportant  riv(>rs  falling  iiiln  ilu-  ^■enisl■•i. 

The  mines  with  richest  annual  uulput  belong  to  Ivanitsky  (4—0  pudsi 
and  to  Miikhin  and  Co.  c^— 4  puds).  The  Krasnoyarsk  district  is  not  so  rich 
in  gold;  it  is  fcmnd  on  the  siuall  rivers  taking  their  rise  in  the  Keinchiizhsk 
mountains,  and  in  the  mountains  on  lioth  sides  of  the  Yenisi'-i. 

The  gold  mines  of  the  .Minusinsk  and  Usinsk  districts  form  mie  system,  com- 
prising the  tributaries  of  the  rivers  Yenisei  and  .Vbakiin.  which  do  not  contain  an.\- 
rich  deposits.  The  gold-mining  conijiany  of  U-sfn-sk.  obtaining  from  5  to  7  puds 
per  annum,  and  the  niini>s  of  Oki'ilov.  which  at  the  beginniuir  of  ISM  were 
purchased  by  a  Belgian  joint  stock  company,  are  the  must  important  in 
this  region. 

In  the  Yenisi'isk  district,  the  gold  mines  arc  situated  on  the  right  side 
of  the  Yenisei,  between  the  rivers  Angara  and  Podkanu'nna.\a  Tungi'i.ska,  and 


■244 


GUIDE  TO  TIIK  fiRKAT  SIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


lliroiiu'liout  ilic  liiisin  of  numi'i-iuis  .small  rivcr.s  i'alliiiir  into  tlii>  Iwd  almvi' 
mentioned  tributarie.s  ol'  the  Yeni.sei:  ijold  is  al.so  to  be  found  alont;  the  val- 
leys of  the  al'fliients  of  the  Pit,  whieh  erosses  the  gold-bearin.s  re.siion  and 
divides  it  into  the  two  almost  equal.  North  and  South  Yeniseisk,  minin.s;; 
districts.  The  gold  mines  situated  in  the  Yeniseisk  district  on  the  rivers 
Uderei  and  Mamona  have  been  worked  since  1839,  and  soon  became  famous 
on  account  of  their  rich  output.  Within  the  jieriod  of  the  first  ten  years,  the 
amount  of  the  annual  output  was  rejiresented  by  1,000  jjuds:  since  that  time, 
the  quantity  of  extracted  gold  has  been  decreasing  from  year  to  year,  and 
now  scarcely  amounts  to  a  few  puds. 

The  total  quantity  of  gold  obtained  u|i  to  the  present  time  is  27,000  [luds, 
with  a  value  of  R.  .350,000,000.  These  mines,  among  all  others  in  the  Russian 
Emi)ire,  yield  the  greatest  quantity  of  metal.  Moreover,  the  following  mines, 
situated  in  the  South-Yeniseisk  mining  district,  have  some  importance  on 
account  of  their  production:  the  mines  of  Pereplechikov,  where  20  puds  were 
obtained  in  each  of  the  years  1894  and  1895;  those  of  the  Udrei  gold  mining 
company  of  Cheremnykh  and  Co.,  (from  10— 14  puds  per  annum).  Gheremnykh 
and  Ratkov-Rozhnov  (5—8  puds  per  annum).  Sharypov  (4-5  puds  annually). 
The  mines  of  the  Vostrotin  Association  (7  puds),  of  Kytmanov  (9—10  puds) 
and  of  Kharchenko  (.S— 4  puds),  are  the  most  important  in  the  Xorth-Yeniseisk 


;j  gold  from  tailings  (phot,  by  Arnold) 


iniuing  distrii't.  Tlie  riciiness  of  the  mines  and  llic  inadequate  methods 
iip|)lied  in  washing  the  gravel  are  well  illiistratiMJ  by  the  fact  that  mines 
long  since  abandoned  which  were  considered  ah-eady  exhausted,  are  now 
being  worked  afresh  by  new  owners. 

The  Biriusinsk  minin.g  district,  watered  iiy  the  ri\er  Hirii'isa.  comprises 
the  Kansk  and  Nizhnoi'idinsk  districts  of  the  Irkutsk  government.  In  respect 
of  its  gold  production,  this  group  is  now  much  inferior  to  others,  whereas 
formerlv  it  contained  the  richest  mines  of  Ivistern  Siberia. 


EASTERN  SIBERIA. 


245 


111  1S42.  till'  (iiumiily  nl  uiiMal  iil)iiimi'(l  liiii-iii^-  ihc  siiiniiifr  was  2n4  pLuls; 
but.  siru'i^  tlint  time,  the  annual  milput  lias  diminislu'd  to  a  few  pufl.s.  This 
fact  is  due  not  to  the  exhaustion  of  the  mines,  hut  to  their  inadequate  pro- 
spectinu.  It  may  Ihei-efore  be  supposed  that  the  Great  Siberian  Railway  tra- 
versins;  this  j;old-bearinii'  reijion  will  brins  with  it  new  and  more  rational 
systems  of  workini;,  and  thus  secure  the  prosperity  of  the  Hiriusinsk  mi- 
ning group. 

Deposits  of  vein  gold  are  worked  in  the  Yeniseisk  government  only 
in  the  mines  of  Cheremnykh  and  Ratkov-Rozhnov.  and  by  Khilkiiv  in  the 
Yeniseisk  mining  district.  The  metal  is  found  in  (piartz  rocks.  The  Irkiitsk 
government  is  not  so  abundantly  provided,  and  includes   only   a    few    mines 

distributed  alouir  the  valleys  of  rivers 
falling  into  the  Baikal,  in  the  Xizhneiidinsk 
and  Irkiitsk  districts,  and  also  in  the  di- 
strict of  Verkholensk  and  Kirensk;  the 
valley  along  the  upper  roaches  of  the  Lena 
contains  but  imorgold  gravels. 

Silver  and  copper  ores  occur  frei|uently 
in  the  valle\  of  the  Yenisei  river,  and  were 
known  to  the  natives  of  the  country,  the 
.iiicieiit  Chilli.  Silver  ore  is  often  found  in 
connexion  with  cop|)er  jiyrites.  The  first 
co|)per  foundry  of  Li'igovsk.  which  has  long 
since  ceasOd  to  work,  was  established  in 
Kastern  Siberia  in  the  .Minusinsk  district 
on  the  site  of  the  old  Chud  mines,  towards 
I  he  cud  of  the  XVIII  century. 

.\nother  foundry,  which  however  soon 
stopjM'd  its  operations,  was  established  in 
1S74,  in  the  .Vchinsk  district:  the  copper 
produced,  in  re.speet  of  its  (|iiality.  rivalled 
that  of  the  Ural. 
Kasterii  Siberia  is  esjiecially  well  otT  for  iron-ore;  rich  deposits  of  this  metal 
"cur  in  the  Yenist^isk  and  Irkutsk  governments  and  also  throughout  all 
I  he  other  districts.  Th(>  .Minusinsk  district  abounds,  in  particular,  in  rich 
beds  of  magnetic  irim  ore,  and  contains  a  foundry  and  iron-works,  situated 
on  the  river  .Xhakan.  which  belong  to  Ratkov-Rozhnov  and  lu-odme  [tuddled, 
rolled,  high-furnace  anil  machinery  iron. 

The  Irbinsk  State  lands,  comprising  an  area  of  r24,oi)(i  desiatins.  are 
situated  within  100  versts  to  the  north-east  of  the  town  of  Minusinsk  and 
30  versts  from  the  Tiiba,  a  tributary  of  the  Yenisei;  this  locality,  watered  by 
numerous  rivers  and  provided  with  rich  beds  of  iron,  once  contained  an  iron- 
foundry,  which  has  however  been  idle  for  some  rii)  years.  The  estimated 
aiuount  of  ore  in  this  region  is  (3.i,(mki,(H)')  puds.  Iron-ore  has  been  found  on 
the  banks  of  the  rivers  Yenisei,  Kuskiin  and  Buzyk,  in  the  Krasnoyarsk 
district,  near  the  village  Ozernaya,  where  it  has  been  worked  since  the  end 
of  the  XVm  century. 

Rich  deposits,  which  to  the  present  time  are  worked  in  a  most  primitive 
way  by  the  peasants,  have  been  discovered  in  the  Yeniseisk  district  at  a  short 
distance  from  the  town  of  the  same  name,  near  the  villages  of  Potapovo 
and  Zaledeevo. 

IfJA 


Church  at  the  mines. 


246 


Gl'lDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAX    RAILWAY. 


Alilinii^h  very  alumiiniit  ilidiiiihimi  the  Irkutsk  govei'iuiicm.  inni  is  work- 
ed only  on  the  lower  reaches  of  the  (Jka.  an  affluent  to  the  Ann-ani,  where 
stands  the  Xieholas  cast-h'on  foundry,  iron  works  and  rail-rnllin.!;- mill  lieloni;- 
ing  to  the  company  organised  by  Mr.  Marnontov.  Mining  parties,  which 
have  been  at  work  alon.g  the  line  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  have  made 
remarkable  discoveries  of  rich  deposits  of  magnetic  iron-ore  on  the  rivers 
Kasianka,  Korshnni'kha  and  Zhelezny  Kliuch  in  the  Irkiitsk  government.  Xum- 
erous  beds  of  iron  are  also  situated  round  Lake  Baikal.  At  the  beginninj; 
of  1899,  the  Irkutsk  merchant  (;ii)tov  organised  the  Mining  Company  of  Irkutsk, 
with   ii  capital  of  R.  l,()i)O.CK)u  divided  into  4.0()0  shares,  to  work  those  mines. 

Green  copperas  occurs  in  the  Irkutsk  government,  near  the  village  of 
Ziminskoye,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Oka.  The  ahim  copperas  soil  contains 
green  copperas  in  thin  streaks  of  crystalline  salt  of  a  greenish  colour,  while 
at  some  points  green  copperas  is  rei)resent(Ml  by  a  yellow  and  reddish-lirown 
sediment. 

Deposits  of  the  same  formation  are  imbedded  in  the  Shelun-Tong  mount- 
ain above  the  source  of  the  Tagna. 

Coal  deposits  have.' been  discovered  throughout  the  vast  territory  of 
Eastern  Siberia,  and  recently  along  the  Great  Siberian  railroad,  by  geologi- 
cal parties  specially  despatched  to  explore  this  region. 


The  Nicholas  foundry  and  iron-works. 


The    following    deposits    in    the    Yenis(''isk    government    have    a   special; 
importance: 

1)  in  the  Achinsk  district,  near  the  village  of  .Vntropovo, 

2)  :50  versts  from  Krasnoyarsk,  near  the  village  of  Kubekovo. 

3)  along  the  river  Kacha.  near  the  village  of  Zaledeevo.  and  on  the  i-iver 
Kemchiiga,  100  versts  from  the  town  of  Krasnoyarsk, 


EASTERN  SIBERIA.  247 

41  in  till-  Minusinsk  ilistrii-t.  aloiiir  ilic  rii;li  hank  of  ilic  riviT  Aliakfin. 
within  55  versts  of  its  .jnnction  \vitli  tiic  Yenisei  at  the  mountain  Izykli.  A 
joint  stock  company  has  been  organised  by  the  Mai-(|uis  do  Vassall  Montiol 
and  Engineer  Devi  to  work  the  coal  deposits  along  the  basin  of  the  Yenisei. 
Other  coal  regions  with  a  kind  of  coal  similar  to  anthracite,  lie  mucli  further 
to  the  north,  along  the  Xizhniaya  Tunguska.  Many  coal  seams  have  l)een 
discovered  along  the  highway  from  the  town  of  K'ansk  to  Xizhneiidinsk. 
situated  in  the  environs  of  the  latter  on  the  river  Oka.  Quite  lately  deposits 
of  coal  lying  in  the  Balagim.sk  district,  near  the  village  of  f 'hercnkovo  on  the 
railway  line,  have  been  carefully  explored,  .\ccordinii-  to  the  analysis  of  Pro- 
fessr)r  .Mexeev.  it  belongs  to  the  genuine  coal  formation. 

Engineer  Bogdamivich  classes  this  coal  witli  the  fatty  dull  kind  found 
in  the  Lunievsk  idts.  The  basin  of  the  river  Great  Belaya  and  its  tributaries 
also  contain  coal  measures. 

In  connexion  with  the  geological  investigations  conducted  along  the  middle 
and  lower  reaches  of  the  Angara,  deposits  of  this  mineral  have  been  found 
along  its  hanks,  among  which  special  attention  is  claimed  by  those  near  the 
village  of  Selenginskaya.  There  are  also  deposits  of  coal  in  the  region  of 
the  Angara  and  Lena,  on  tlie  Ii-kiii.  souiliwest  of  Lake  Baikal,  and  in  the 
environs  of  Irkutsk. 

Extensive  beds  of  graphite,  amounting  to  al)out  10.(mK),(X1()  puds,  are  scatt- 
ered over  the  Yeniseisk  government,  s])ecially  in  the  Turukhfmsk  district 
along  the  lower  reaches  of  the  .Xiziiniaya  Tunguska  and  its  tributaries.  On 
being  subjected  to  numerous  tests,  tiiis  graphite  proved  to  be  of  excellent 
quality,  comparable  to  that  of  Cumberland  and  Ceylon.  The  Irkiitsk  govern- 
ment also  abounds  in  graphite  deposits:  within  its  confines,  in  the  Tunkin 
mountains,  graphite  of  excellent  quality  was  found  in  1842  by  the  merchant 
Aliber,  and  has  been  worked  for  a  long  time  for  Faber's  pencil  manufactory. 

.Xaphtha  has  been  discovered  in  small  ipiantities  witiiin  the  range  of  the 
Irkutsk  coal-bearing  region  called  Idan,  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  An- 
gara, 40  versts  from  Irkutsk.  As  stated  by  Engineer  Bogdanovich,  coal  con- 
taining; such  a  large  percentage  of  hydrogen  iioints  to  the  possibility  of  find- 
ing naphtha  in  connexion  wiiii  it. 

Salt  beds  are  especially  numerous  in  ivistern  Sil)eria.  In  the  Yeniseisk 
and  Irkiitsk  governments,  salt  is  obtained  from  brine.  In  the  Yeniseisk  govern- 
ment, it  is  produced  in  the  Tumanshetsk  works,  situated  in  the  Kansk  district 
on  the  Biriiisa  river,  and  in  the  Troitsk  works  of  the  same  district,  im  the 
river  I'solka,  tributary  to  the  Taseeva.  In  the  Irkiitsk  government,  the  valley 
of  the  Xepa  river,  flowing  on  the  left  into  the  Xizhniaya  Tunguska,  abounds 
in  saline  springs;  the  brine  flows  from  red  sandstone,  marl  and  clay,  whicii 
evidently  belong  to  the  sub-devonian  geological  system.  Salt  is  obtained  at 
the  L'st-Kutsk  saltern,  situated  on  tho  river  Kut,  a  tributary  of  the  Lena. 
The  famous  salt  spring  Usolia  is  situated  within  a  small  distance  of  Irkutsk, 
70  versts  from  the  .\ngara  and  is  worked  by  the  Irkutsk  works.  Salt  marshes. 
which  represent  a  transition  from  the  salt  lakes,  are  to  be  found  in  various 
parts  of  the  Yeniseisk  government,  along  the  course  of  the  rivers  Yus,  Aba- 
kan and  many  others.  Moreover,  there  are  many  brackish  lakes  in  the  Yeni- 
seisk government,  among  which  Lake  Minusinsk,  covering  an  area  of  2''2  square 
versts,  is  the  most  imiiortant. 

Nephrite  is  found  in  large  clusters  at  a  distance  of  .50  versts  troin  Irkutsk 
alonu:  the  vallevs  of  the  rivers  Belaya.  Kitoi,  Urik  and  Onota. 


248  GUIDK  TO  THE  CiRKAT  SIBERIAN    RAII-WAY, 

\',iriiius  ciilmin'd  stouos  occur  nmrc  plciiiiriilly  in  llic  sdiitliraslci'ii  part 
ol'  the  li'kutsk  srovernnuuit. 

Lapis  lazi'li  is  to  he  foiinii  nn  llic  S|jiiiii:'iniva;  jjjarnct,  on  the  Ijttle  Hy- 
straya;  serpentine,  talc,  chandrolite,  lavrovite  are  scattered  along  the  river 
TiUaya;  while  blue  lime,  spar,  pink  quartz,  salite,  bakalite,  trcnolite,  ajihanite 
and  others  are  to  he  found  on  the  Slindianka:  and  green  apatite  and  hhick 
mica,  near  the  Uluntai. 

Fire-clay  (kaolin)  predominates  on  tho  l>aiiks  of  the  Belaya,  close  in  the 
villages  of  Radaiskaya  and  Uzky  Lug. 

The  Irkutsk  government  contains  many  mineral  springs:  the  Turansk 
springs  having  a  temperature  of  about  30°R..  situated  near  the  Nilov  hermit- 
age on  the  river  Ukhi'-Ugun,  at  a  distance  of  250  versts  from  Irkutsk; 
Arshan-Su,  a  carbonic  acid  spring,  situated  within  40  versts  from  the  Turansk 
military  post;  the  Okinsk  springs  on  the  Oka  river,  500  versts  from  Irkutsk: 
the  Barnaul  soda  springs,  near' the  village  of  Bolshe-Mamyrky,  situated  in 
the  Nizhneudinsk  district. 

?]astern  Siberia  is  just  as  abundantly  watered  as  its  west(>rn  part.  The 
Yeniseisk  .government  is  watered  by  the  great  Yenisei  water  system.  Navig- 
able throughout  its  entire  course,  the  Yenisei  receives  on  the  east  its  most 
important  tributary  the  Tungu.ska  or  Angara  which,  affording  a  navigable 
way  to  Irkutsk,  Lake  Baikal  and  the  Tra.nsbaikal,  possesses  a  great  im- 
portance for  the  trade  of  Eastern  Siberia.  The  rivers  Great  Pit,  Podkamen- 
naya-Tunguzka  are  also  important  tributaries  to  the  Yenisei.  Among  the  rivers 
flowina;  into  the  Arctic  Ocean,  the  Abakan,  bordering  the  Yakutsk  territory, 
is  deserving  of  notice:  as  yet  scarcely  explored,  it  flows  through  the  govern- 
ment for  a  distance  of  900  versts. 

Numerous  lakes  occur  in  the  government,  but  exclusively  in  its  southern 
and  most  northern  parts.  The  Ingol  and  particularly  the  Shiro  lakes,  con- 
taining mineral  water,  and  situated  in  the  Minusinsk  district,  are  from 
year  to  year  becoming  better  known.  More  lately,  the  department  of  State 
Domains  has  paid  special  attention  to  the  properties  of  the  lakes  in  the  Yeni- 
seisk government  and  has  undertaken  the  oriranisation  of  a  health  resort 
with  a  hospital  for  out-patients. 

Th(^  Irkutsk  tcovernment.  which  on  the  south-east  is  bordered  by  \/dkf 
Baikal  for  a  distance  of  500  versts,  contains  also  numerous  rivers  and  streams 
beion.ging  to  the  basins  of  two  large  rivers,  the  Angara  and  Lena.  The  An- 
gara represents  the  chief  waterway  of  the  government;  along  it  is  gathe- 
red the  greater  part  of  the  population  and  it  affords  an  easy  comnumication 
by  which  the  produce  of  the  Irkutsk  government  is  conveyed  to  the  gold 
mines  of  the  YeniscMsk  government. 

The  Irkut,  Kitoi,  Belaya,  Oka  and  Taseeva  are  the  chief  left  tributaric-. 
of  the  Angara,  which  on  the  right  receives  the  Kiida.  Yanda,  Ilim.  Ohadobets 
and  Irkatseva.  The  Lena,  taking  its  rise  on  the  northwestern  slopes  <if  the 
Baikal  mountains,  within  20  versts  of  Lake  Baikal.  Wivters  the  government 
for  a  length  of  Ltioo  versts.  Its  slow  current  is  raftalile  from  the  village  of 
Kachug,  which  is  situated  200  versts  fi-om  its  estuary.  This  waterway  is  spec- 
ially used  for  the  transport  of  grain  and  manufactured  articles  to  the  Yakutsk 
territory.  Its  course  is  dotted  by  settlements  belouiring  to  the  Verkhoh'nsk 
and  Kin'^nsk   disti'icts. 

The  climate  of  Kastern  Siberia  is  raw  and  strictly  continental.  The  intliKMice 
of  the  sea  is  only  felt  on  tlie  extreme  north    o\'  the    Yeniseisk    government, 


EASTERN  SIBERIA. 


249 


wheio  it  lias  littlo  oflet-t  upon  uriranic  lil'o.  The  avoragi-  temperatui-o  at  Krasno- 
yarsk is  +1.0.  at  Kansiv  —1.0.  at  Yenist'isk  —2.4.  at  Minusinsk  -fi>..7. 

The  middle  Z0H''  "t"  ih>'  Y«>ni-<i''isk  iroviTimu-nl  is  oiion  to  ail  tlie  western 


The  Khaittn  china  manufactory  of  Perevalov  (Irkutsk  gov.). 

winds  blowing  from  the  plains  and  stf^ppes  ol  Western  Siberia,  while  north- 
ern winds  prevail  iu  the  Minusinsk  district,  which  to  the  south  and  west  is 
sheltered  by  mountains. 

The  thickness  ot"  the  snow  cover,  which  has  a  srreat  importance  for  airri- 
cultiire.  depends  upon  the  wind.  The  unsheltered  steppe  lands  are  often  sub- 
ject to  drouirhts:  but  little  snow  falls  and  it  is  easily  blown  away. 

The  climate  of  the  Irkutsk  government,  which  is  more  distant  from  the 
sea  and  has  a  high  elevation,  is  still  more  continental  than  that  of  the  Yeni- 
seisk government  and  is  characterised  by  a  considerable  annual  range  of 
temperature  and  continued  cold.  In  the  town  of  Irkutsk,  the  mean  tempera- 
ture during  the  year  is  — (UJ.  in  the  village  of  Kultiik  on  the  Baikal.— l.-'i. 

The  minimum  temperature  in  January  is— 4.=).(>,  the  maximum  rises  to 
+34^6  in  June  shewing  a  range  of  80''2.  Summer  is  the  dampest  season:  the 
small  ipiantity  of  precipitation  in  winter  is  due  to  the  scarceness  of  clouds 
caused  liy  an  almost  total  absence  of  wind  and  to  the  prevailing  anticyclone. 

The  vecetation  of  Elastern  Siberia  is  similar  to  that  which  covers  the 
surface  of  its  western  part.  Forests,  containing  the  same  tree  species  as  in 
Western  Siberia,  are  uninterrupted  by  an.\  centres  of  po|nilation  and  stretch 
over  immense  areas  representing  an  impenetrable  virgin  „taigii",  in  which 
firtrees  predominate.  .\ot  with  standing  this  extreme  abundance  of  forests,  the 
banks  of  the  Yenist-i  and  other  rivers  which  were  once  covered  by  a  thick 
vegetation,  are  now  nuite  bare.  .\  regular  system  of  forest  niana.i^ement  was 
only  introduced  into  Siberia  in  the  year  lH\)h. 


250  GUIDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN'    RAILWAY. 

1  he  rauna  t)f' Eastern  Siborin  is  alsn  iho  same  as  in  its  \vcstri-n  pari, 
represented  by  s|)(H'ies  of  the  tundra  and  of  the  Alti'ii  phiteaii.  It  may  be 
iiKnitionod  as  a  remarkable  phenomenon  that  tlie  i-iver  Yenis('i  forms  the  line 
on  the  east  whicii  is  never  passed  t)y  the  beaver. 

Population.  The  census  of  1897  shewed  a  population  of  l,ot)0,411i  (.')5y,()7.") 
males,  507,344  females)  in  the  Yeniseisk  and  Irkutsk  governments.  The  fornK^r 
numbers  a  total  of  559,902  0^91,555  males,  2tiS,347  females),  while  the  latter 
contains  a  total  of  .506,517  (267,520  males,  2.38,997  females).  In  the  Yeniseisk 
.!;-overnment  the  jiroportion  is  92.0  women  to  1(X)  men,  and  in  the  Irkutsk 
g-overnment— S'l.e  women  to  100  men.  There  are  0.24  inhabitant  to  every 
square  verst  in  the  Yeniseisk  government. 

The  peimlation  is  distributed  aceordina'  tn  districts  in  the  following  way: 

Yenisi'isk  government. 

DISTRICTS.  P  o  ,>  U  L  A  T  I  0  X. 

males.  females.  total. 

.Vchinsk r)6.877  .VVJ;^  110,813 

Krasnoyarsk  49,409  44,904  94,313 

Kansk 51,4.32  42,217  93.649 

.Minusinsk 92,5.58  90,091  182,649 

Yeniseisk .34,245  .'iO,969  65,214 

Tui-ukhansk  region 5,905  5,212  11.117 

Usinsk  region 1,129  1,01S  2.147 

Total 291,.555  268,347  559,901 

Irkutsk  goverililieiit. 

DISTRICTS.  P  o  IM-  1.  .V  T  1  O  S. 

inali-s.  rciii.'ili's.  total. 

Xizhneiidinsk 49,916  3.3,6S7  sti,603 

Balagiinsk 75,227  68,.509  143,736 

Irk  litsk SI ,  1 5.T  77,r)82  1.58,737 

Kii'i^nsk 28,324  26,039  .54.863 

Verkbolensk   35,898  3.3,180  59,078 

Total 267,520  238.997  506,517 

The  greater  part  of  the  population,  represented  b.\  86.').t)iM)  inhabitants  rnnii- 
ing  81  per  cent  of  the  total  number,  is  concentrated  within  the  range  of  the 
Great  Siberian  Railway  in  the  territories  of  the  Achinsk.  Krasnoyiirsk.  Kansk. 
.Minusinsk  (Yenisi'dsk  government),  .Xizhneiidinsk,  Irkutsk  (Irkutsk  govern- 
ment) districts,  comprising  an  area  of  456,75;!  i|uare  versts.  The  average  pro- 
pertien  of  the  population  in  the  region  is  1.89  inhabitant  to  the  sipiare  versi. 

In  the  Yeniseisk  government,  the  natives  form  almost  m  percent  id  the 
total  population;  in  the  Irkutsk  government,  they  are  still  iiKirf  niiiiienius. 
ri^presenting  21   per  cent. 

Upon  settling  in  the  Venisi'dsk  government,  the  Russians  took  possession 
of  its  best  central  iiortimi  driving  one  part  of  the  natives  towards  the  polar 
tundra  in  thf  'Purukhtinsk  region  and  inle  the  iinrllifrii  part  of  tin'' Yeniseisk 
district,  ami  the  ether,  towards  the  sto|ipe  lauds  (if  the  districts  of  .Minusinsk 
.\chinsk  ami  partially  In  the  K'ansk  district.  There  is  a  well  marked  ditTerence 
hc'twfeu   tliesi'  twii  natix'e  tribi's  eviileiiceil   by  their    l.\pe.  lib'  uml   piii'suits. 


EASTERN  SIBERIA. 


251 


Castrijn  includes  the  ancient  and  present  poiiuiation  ol'tlio  southern  part 
of  the  Yeniseisk  government  in  one  Altai  group,  whieh  he  divides  inlo  five 
brandies:  Finns.  Tungus.  Mongols,  Turks  and  tianioyi'ds. 

The  Fiuuisii  tribe  was  I'epn^sfnli-d  l).v  the  ancient,  now  extinct.  I'liud  wiui 
have  lelt  some  archaeological  monuments  at  the  foot  of  the  Altai  uml  S;i,van 
mountains. 

Tlie  Tungus  people  form  the  must  niiuiermis  native  tribe,  throughout  the 
territory  of  Kastern  Sibei'ia  IVom  the  river  Yenisei  to  the  Hastern  Ocean  and 
soutiiwards  to  ('hina.  They  are  dividi'd  into  settled,  nomnd  and  niaming  or 
forest  and  I'eindeer  Tungus. 

They  are  mostly  nominal  Christians  but,  being  ignorant  of  the  Russian 
lauguage,  and  living  at  a  great  distance  from  Russian  settlements,  osit  my 
pruless  Shamanism. 

Tile  Yeniseisk  government  contains  a  total  of  :i..')iiii  Tungus. 

The  .Mongolian  stock  is  represented  by  the  Kalmyks  who,  at  a  remote 
date,  were  a  mighty  race.  \ow  they  are  entirely  fused  with  the  Turkish  tribes. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  XVIII  century,  the  Kalmyks  emigrated  in  gi-eat 
numbers  to  the  Chinese  Empire;  those  remaining  in  Siberia  are  partly  noni- 
:ids.  ruMiniiiir    over   (hi'  liigliland  linrdcrrd  li\    thi'    S;i,\;in  and  mirtliiTn   .\ll;ii. 


Mus5um  of  the  Khaltin  manufactory. 


The  Turkish  tribes  which  are  numerous  tall  into  Tatar  clans,  known 
under  the  names  of  Moletsk.    Kizylsk.   Sag.ii,  Kiichlnsk   and  Tiibinsk  Tatars. 

The  .Moir-tsk  Tatars  dwelling  in  the  .\chinsk  di.strict  along  the  river  Chulym, 
are  administered  by  a  separate  native  local  board.  They  ore  ipiite  russified, 
have  adopted  the  Russian  language  and  lead  .i  settled  life;  their  villages, 
calleil  „idus".  with  a  population  of  1,H,').'J  do  not  dilVer  from  liiie  K'lissian 
villages. 

The  Kizylsk  Tatars.  numl>ering  .i,S2.5.  occupy  the  south-western  portion 
of  the  .\cliinsk  and  part  of  the  .Minusinsk  districts;  tlie.\  are  administered  by 


•252 


UUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIIiERIAX  RAILWAY. 


llii'ir  own  Ideal  board:  liki'  llir  MolT'tsk  Tatars  lliry  -.irr  russitlrd   and  lielonu' 
lo  the  orthodox  religion. 

The  Sagais,  wandering  alonii  thr  rivci-  .\bak;in,  arc  rliiidl.x  oi'ciipifd  with 
i-attlo  breeding.  The.v  ai'e  all  ba|)lised  but,  as  nomads,  aru  sliU  under  the 
influence  of  their  Shamans  and  I'etain  a  great  attachment  to  heathen  rites, 
which  keep  them  in  a  condition  of  comparative  savagery.  They  number 
14.(KJ2  and  are  administred  by  the  board  of  A.skizsk. 

The  Kachinsk  Tatars,  (12,17,'i)  being  nomadic  cattlebreeders,  dwell  in  the 
Kiichinsk  steppe  bordered  by  the  A I  lakan  and  Yns,  and  are  under  the  manage- 
ment cjf  the  board  of  Abakan.  A  population  of  12,175  Ti'ibinsk  Tatars,  living 
on  the  Abakan  and  I'ibiil  i-ivei-s.  are  ivekoned  to  tlirm 

Tile  .Vi-hinsk  and 
Minusinsk  districts  con- 
tain about  .S3,855  natives; 
their  number  far  from 
diminishing,has  increas- 
i'(l  b.\'  45  per  ce  nt  dur 
ng  the  last  50  years. 

The  eventual  passage 
Irom  Shamanism  lo  the 
<  (rthodox  religion  was 
effected  gradually,  to- 
gether with  the  transition 
to  more  civilised  con- 
ditions and  the  whole 
process  of  Russification: 
at  the  points  where  Russ- 
ians entertained  close 
relations  with  the  Tatars 
.and  lived  nearer  to  them, 
litis  transition  was  el- 
lectedmoreiiuickly.while 
the  same  process  w-as 
slow  to  penetrate  to  those 
tribes  dwelling  at  a  greater  distance.  A  great  number  of  natives  openly 
professing  the  shamanistic  faith  are  settled  in  the  Minusinsk  district,  where 
various  shamanistic  figures,  amulets  or  „toe"  are  to  bi>  found  in  the  corner 
of  each  „yurta"  or  tent. 

The  Samoyed  branch  of  the  southern  natives  is  far  less  numerous,  being 
represented  by  only  about  2,000  Koibals  and  Mators,  wandering  along  the 
river  Abakan;  by  8,000  Bentirs  settled  on  the  middle  reaches  of  the  Abakan; 
by  400  Kamasins,  tlwelling  in  camps  in  the  Kansk  district  along  the  river 
Kan:  and  liy  400  nomad  Karagases,  dwelling  in  the  Minusinsk  district. 

Besides  the  Tungiis  people,  Ostiaks  and  Samoyeds,  the  Yuraks  and  Yakuts 
belong  to  the  northern  tribes  of  the  Yeniseisk  government,  while  the  native  po- 
pulation of  the  Irkutsk  government  is  repi'esented  by  Buri;its.  Tuugiis.Tat.-irs, 
Ostiaks  and  Soyots. 

The  class  of  exiles,  playing  an  important  part  among  the  population  of 
Ea  stern  .Sibei'ia,  comprise  the  following  divisions:  1)  convicts,  2)  exile- 
settlers  deprived  of  all  civil  i-iglits.  :])  iiersons  banished  foi'  a  certain  period, 
deprived    .if   all    pei'sonal    and    ci\il    rights,    4)    exileil    by  the  administration 


Type  of  shaman  of  the  polar  tundra. 


EASTERN  SIBERIA. 


253 


witluml  trial.  Frum  '.K'lO  to  l.oiH)  convicts  arc  Miimially  forwarclcil  li\  tlu'  Tin- 
men exile  lioaftl  to  Ka.steni  Siberia,  to  the  [leiial  settlements  of  tlie  Irkutsk 
jrovernmeiit.  where  they  are  kt>pl  in  the  Alexander  Centi-al  Prison,  in  the 
Nicholas  iron  Works  and  in  the  salterns  of  Irkiitsk  and  L'stKulsk.  The  daily 
contingent  ol'  hard  labour  convicts  varies  from  l,4(Hit<i  2,oe)U  in  thi'  Alexander 
Prison;  from  .')0  to  2(X)  in  the  Nicholas  Works  and  from  45  to  5()  in  the  Irkutsk 
State  saltern. 

The  Irkutsk  private  saltern  emjiloys  trom  2.')  to  ;^()  convicts  and  the  Ist- 
Kutsk  from  4<»  to  r)(i. 

In  1894,  a  considerable  number  of  them  were  employeil  in  the  construction 
of  the  sixteenth  section  of  the  Midsibcrian  Railway,  comprising  a  distance 
of.Stlversts  between  the  rivers  Belaya  and  K'itoi.  This  experiment  was  attended 
by  marked  success. 

The  exile  settlei-s  who  have  passed  the  statce  of  hard  labour,  and  those 
exiled  by  the  administration  retain  their  criminal  profiensities.  and  are  a 
heavy  burden  upon  the  local  population  of  Siberia,  which  they  constantly 
demoralise. 

According    to    the    statistics    of    the  ^ 

Tiumt'n  exile  board,  among  the  total  numb- 
er of  908,20(3  convicts  exiled  to  Siberia 
from  1823  to  1898,  5(X),000  were  forw^arded 
during  this  period  of  7.t  years  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  Eastern  Siberia  and  mainly 
to  the  Yeniseisk  and  IrkiUsk  governments. 

Emigration.  The  Yeniseisk  govern- 
ment, next  to  the  favourite  Tomsk  reg- 
ion, is  subject  to  the  greatest  pressure 
of  emigration.  The  Russian  peasants  move 
especially  to  the  Minusinsk  district,  whero 
a  great  number  of  theni  have  settled  ai 
their  own  risk,  without  any  assistance  from 
the  Uovernment. 

Prom  the  year  1892,  tin-  Yeniseisk  and 
Irkutsk  governments  have  been  occupied 
till  i|uite  lately  with  tiie  choici-  of  the  local- 
ities to  be  colonised  and  with  the  reg- 
ulation of  the  settlement  system.  Since 
the  opening  of  tratt'ic  on  the  Great  Siberian 
Railway,  the  pressure  to  the  East  has  been 
gradually  increasing:  on  this  account,  the 
Committee  for  the  construction  of  the  .Sibe- 
rian Railway,  organised  in  the  year  189b  — 1897,  four  medical  and  feedinjr 
stations  within  the  confines  of  the  Yeniseisk  government:  at  the  .\chinsk 
station,  for  the  assistance  of  the  settlers  tn  the  .\chinsk  district;  at  the  sta- 
tion of  Krasnoyarsk,  which  is  the  meeting-point  of  emigrants  bound  for  the 
Krasnoyarsk  and  Minusinsk  districts:  at  the  stations  of  Olgino  and  Kansk,  for 
those  bound  for  the  Kansk  district,  where  the  greatest  number  of  grants 
were  made  in  189.'). 

Before  the  opening  of  traffic  on  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  cases  of 
emigration  to  the  Irkutsk  government  were  quite  a  rarity,  but  now  the  organ- 
isation   of  medical    and  feediiiLr  stations  has  become    Jiiost    neci'ssary.  They 


Dress  worn  by  shaman  during  the  perform- 
ance of  religious  rites. 


254 


QUIDE  Tn  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


Idols  of  natives  from  the  polar  tundra. 


Kh.iiiskay;!    and 
.\t'\\-Alox:\nilcr, 


are  establishi-d  at  the  station  of  Taishet  for  settlors  movinu'  td  llir  wi'stcrii 
parts  of  the  Xizhneudinslc  di.strict:  at  the  >!tation  of  Tiihiii.  tor  the  coloni.satinii 
of  tlie  Xizhneudinsk  di.strirt:  ami  at  tiio  .stalion  .it  Irkutsk,  which  is  a  fm-- 
wardins;  point  whonce  thi'  .si'ttlrr.s  inn\r  furl  her  cast,  towafiis  tlic  'i'i-ansliaik:il 
and  Amur. 

Inunense  areas  of  unfilled  land  suitable  for  colonisation,  covering  several 
millions  of  desintins.  are  now  beina;  regulated  with  a  view  to  future  colonis- 
ation, which  will  bring  new  life  into  the  reg- 
ion,   and  (ipeii  wiile    prospects  to  tlu'  export 
iif  agricultural  produce. 

The  following  buildings  have  been  elect 
ed  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  HI 
fund,  within  the  confines  of  the  East-Siberian 
governments  in  order  to  meet  the  reliirious 
wants  of  the  settlers  and  of  the  gtMieral  po- 
pulation: 

1)  3  wooden  churches  have  been  erected 
near  the  stations  of  Olginskaya,  Petrushkovo 
in  the  Yeniseisk  government,  and  Zim:i.  in 
the  Irkutsk  government. 

2)  one  wimdeii  church  in  tho  villa,ge  of  X6vo-Beri6/.ovskoe,  in  the  Minu- 
sinsk district 

3)  2  are  in  process  of  construction    at    the    stafions    of 
Polovina,  in  the  Irkutsk  government. 

4)  four  are  being  built    in    the    Achinsk    district    in    tlie 
Timonino,  Yf'dnik  and  Gorby  settlements. 

5)  two  schools  are  being  built  in  the  New-Alexandei'  and  lli:i  settleiiu'uts 
in  the  Achinsk   district. 

Land  tenure  had  never  a  regular  character  either  in  Eastern  or  in  West- 
ern Siberia,  a  fact  which  has  caused  frequent  abuses.  ?]ach  peasant  meas- 
ured off  for  his  use  as  much  land  as  he  wanted  from  the  proi)erty  of  the 
community  and,  having  cultivated  it  for  some  time,  considered  it  as  beiong- 
inu,-  tn  himself  and  his  family. 

According  to  the  law  re.gulating  peasant  land  tenure,  which  since  18S)6 
was  put  in  force  in  the  Tobolsk.  Tomsk.  Yenist^isk  and  Irkutsk  governments, 
each  jieasant  received  a  grant  of  15  desiatins. 

Beekeeping  and  cattle  breeding  are  the  chief  sources  of  prnsperity  nf  the 
population  in  Eastern  Siberia. 

Agriculture  in  the  Yeniseisk  government  reaches  'y^'W  X.  lat.  and  even 
t)l°  X.  lat.  (for  springcorn  and  barley).  The  entire  Irkutsk  government,  exclus- 
ive of  the  Kirensk  district,  is  cultivable.  Systems  of  husbandry  var,\  in 
accordance  with  the  locality  and  soil. 

In  the  central  zone  of  the  Yeniseisk  government,  comprising  the  Krasno- 
yarsk. Kansk,  Yeniseisk  and  northern  part  of  the  .\chinsk  districts,  thi^  land 
is  divided  into  two  and  even  three  parts,  which  ar(>  sown  in  rniati(ui.  How- 
ever, the  fallow  land  system  also  occurs. 

In  the  forest  regions,  the  trees  are  cut  down,  piled    uji    intn    hea|is    and 
burnt  on  the  spot.  Th(>  land  is  then  ploughed  u|i  (without  the  stumps  being  first 
drawn  I  and  sown.  After  two  or  three  rich  crops  have  been  raised,    the    land 
is  allowiMl  to  lie  waste  for  several  years  at^cordinu  to  the  natiu'e  id  the  snil 
after  which  it  is  again  brnught  under    ciiltivatinii.    In    iiiauv     places,  sprinn'- 


EASTERN  SIBERIA.  255 

nirii  is  sciwii  on  \v'mli'r-r\i'  slulililc  fields  witlmul  tVcsli  |il(Uii:iniiLr.  Tln'  twn- 
field  system  is  tlif  iirt'doiiiiiiatiuu;  t'onii  of  luislianiliy  in  the  Irkutsk  govern- 
ment, sometimes  varied  witii  tiie  fallow  land  system  pi-actised  in  Xiziine- 
udinsk  or  with  feeble  attempts  at  the  introduction  of  the  more  intensive 
threefield  system,  adopted  in  the  Irkiitsk  disti-ict.  The  implements  employed  are 
of  a  primitive  type:  the  ..sokhi'i"  (Russian  |)lou,ich)  and,  more  to  ihe  soiilli,  the 
„saban"  (Little-Russian)  and  the  „s()kh;i-kolesi;'inka".  At  the  prt'sent  time,  new 
systems  of  husliandry  are  being  introdueed  by  tin"  emigrants,  and  stores  of 
agricultural  machinery  opened,  chiefly  fnun  the  Votkinsk  works. 

Rye  is  mostly  cultivated  as  a  winter-corn;  wheat,  oats,  ^yaritsa",  barley, 
buckwheat  and  millet  are  sown  in  spring,  this  season  being  preferred  on 
account  of  the  snowless  winter,  during  which  the  corn  is  not  sufliciently 
prot(>cted.  The  crops  are  very  variable.  The  long  continued  early  frosts  in 
the  autumn  and  the  severe  morning  frosts  are  injurious  to  the  spring  corn. 

Part  of  the  working  class  being  attracted  to  the  gold  mines  and  other 
profitable  pursuits  in  the  two  old  government  of  East  Siberia,  tlie  iiuantity 
of  grain  sown  and  harvested  scarcely  sutTices  for  future  sowing  and  to  sup 
ply  the  population  for  the  year. 

In  1896,  which  may  be  taken  as  an  example  for  an  average  year,  l,9y2,4(Jl 
chetverts  of  all  kinds  of  grain  were  raised  in  the  Yeniseisk,  and  l.77fS,2(Ki 
ch<'tverts  in  the  Irkutsk  government,  the  population  being  l,0btj,410.  With 
such  an  insufficient  extent  of  the  cultivated  area  in  Eastern  Siberia,  it  is 
necessary  to  import  grain  and  its  products  from  the  contiguous  government 
of  Western  Siberia,  especially  for  the  mainteuitnci!  of  the  local  distilleries  and 
to  supply  the  people  employed  in  the  numerous  gold-mines. 

Besides  agriculture,  cattle-breeding  is  also  a  very  important  occupation 
of  the  population,  reiu-esenting  the  sole  resource  of  the  nomad  natives  of 
the  Minusinsk  and  .Vchinsk  districts,  of  the  roaming  population  of  the  Turu- 
khansk  region  in  the  Yeniseisk  government,  and  of  the  natives  of  Hal.i- 
gi'msk  and  Verkholensk  in  the  Irkiitsk  government. 

According  to  recent  information,  the  Yeniseisk  government  possesses 
aiiproximately  1,T92,S.5U  head  of  live  stock,  inclusive  of  488,9:51  horses,  432,149 
cattle.  714..')70  sheep,  95..")11  swine.  .■52.089  goats  and  29,(XXi  reindeer.  At  the 
same  time,  the  Irkutsk  government  contains  l.(«K),4(i4  head,  represented  by 
2ti4,s.5()  horses,  .S.3."),549  cattle,  2t)5,:i79  sheep,  8.'),8t)2  swine,  48,()4,')  goats  and 
773  reindeer. 

The  proportion  of  live  stock  to  the  total  populatimi  of  Eastern  Siberia  is 
vt>ry  small  and  does  not  meet  its  wants,  this  impoilant  branch  of  husbandry 
being  but  very  insuftlciently  developed  throughout  Eastern  Siberia.  Consider- 
able droves  of  cattle  are  brought  every  year  to  the  Yeniseisk  and  Irkutsk 
governments  to  supply  the  population,  fi'oni  the  Tomsk  goverinurnt,  the  Se- 
mipaliitinsk  region  and  Mongolia. 

The  Soyot  cattle,  driven  from  China,  are  worthy  of  attention.  Iieing  very 
fleshy  and  fine  (about  2— 2'  2  arshins  highi  with  a  weight  of  about  2')  puds;  but 
the  cows  do  not  give  much  milk.  This  eattb'  is  brought  from  China  by  two 
different  ways:  one  begins  at  the  upper  reaches  of  the  river  Kemchik  and 
reaches  the  sources  of  the  Kantegfr  and  further  the  river  Vbakan;  the  other- 
traverses  the  valley  of  the  river  Usa  and  conies  to  the  upper  reaches 
of  the  0\.  The  Soyot  cattle  receive  an  ailmixture  of  the  local  stock  and  are 
forwarded  by  rafts  along  the  Yenis<-i  to  the  north,  mostly  to  the  Krasnoyarsk 
and  Yeniseisk  districts. 


256 


GUIDK  TO  THK  liREAT  SIBKRIAX    RAILWAY. 


liecki'i'pini;-  is  much  pi-artiscil  in  tlu'  hniischoids  olllic  .\rhiiisi<  and 
Minusinsk  districts,  cimtaininu,-  about  4.')  tli(iusan<l  hi'c-iiivfs.  Littli>  Kussian 
.sett liTs.  who  aro  inofo  o.'ciipricnciMl  hci-kecpci's,  are  introducin.ir  new  and  nmro 
rational  systiMiis. 

Fishing  The  native.s  of  thi,'  northern  |i.irt  of  the  Yeniseisk  district  and 
of  the  Tunikhiinsk  region  and  those  settled  on  the  shore  of  the  Baikal  in  tiip 
Irki'itsk  government  are  chiefly  engaged  in  the  fishing  industry. 

The  peasants  and  native  ])o|)ulation  dwelling  on  the  Yenist-i  and  its  well 
watered  and  abundant  tributaries  depend  upon  a  few  important  fislMraders, 
who  however  do  not  at  all  contribute  to  the  development  of  this  profit- 
able   industry.    The  fish    is  salted    in  a  most  primitive   way    on  the  bank   of 


Town  of  Yeniseisk  (phot,  by  Kytmanov). 


the  rivers,  and  although  the  Yenisei  basin  is  most  abundantly  i)rovi(ied  with 
fish,  which  is  not  inferior  to  that  of  the  Irtysh  and  01)  basin,  it  is  not  ex- 
ported from  Eastern  Sibei'ia.  which  is  supjdied  from  the  adjacent  Tomsk 
and  Tobolsk  governments  with  salted  and  dried  fish. 

Hunting  is  an  important  industry  in  both  governments  of  Eastern  Sibe- 
ria practised  on  a  considerable  scale  by  the  natives  especially  in  the  Kirensk 
district  of  the  Irkutsk  government,  in  its  southern  jiart  on  the  spurs  of  the 
Sayan,  and  in  the  Turukhansk  country,  in  the  Yenisi'isk  government. 

The  birds  and  animals  and  the  modes  of  hutiting  them  are  the  same  as 
in  the   the  Tomsk  govei-iinient.    The  annual    value    nf   the    imlustry   is  about 

K.  ;ioo,ooo. 

Cedar-nut  gathering,  which  is  a  great  help  Inr  the  natives  and  Russian 
peasants,  is  carried  on  thoughut  Eastern  Siberia  in  all  the  places  touchiug 
tlie  taigii,  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  neighbouring  Tomsk  and  Tobiilsk 
s^overnments. 


EASTERN  SIBERIA 


•257 


In  tlio  soiithtMMi  i>:irt  of  the  tcovernniont,  iiut-tradtTs  also  lollci-t  larch- 
tree  .sulphur",  which  is  chewed  hy  the  natives  and  older  inhaliitants  of  Si- 
beria. 

E'omestie  industi-ies  have  a  second-rate  importance  in  Eastern  Siberia, 
bein?  hut  imperfectly  developed.  Carpentry,  coopering,  the  blacksmiths  art. 
tarburning,  earthenware  and  brick  nianfacture.  knittinsr,  thread  spinninir. 
weaving  rough  wool,  cloth  and  worsted  mittens  and  tanning  sheep  and  other 
skins  are  the  industries  practised  by  4  per  cent  of  the  total  male  population. 

Although  this  region  is  richly  endowed  with  natural  wealth,  the  manu- 
factures and  industries  do  not  meet  the  local  demand,  and  are  insut- 
t'lciently  developed,  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  the  po|iulation.  the  high 
rate  of  wages  and  the  attraction  of  capital  to  tiie  goldniining  industry.  In 
ISSW.  the  Yenisc'isk  government  reckoned  4^.5  factories  ami  works  with  an 
output  of  R.  2.1.">\1U.  while  the  lrkiit.sk  government  contained  VMh  with  R. 
2,.sHi.4.«'. 

There  are  19  distilleries  (R.  I,(i07,5t)8).  11>S  tanneries  (R.  57(i,«32).  2  found- 
ries and  works  (R.  .■iOS.ihkii  and  .5  .salterns  (R.  liKMKTO). 


Town  of  Yeniseisk.  Nunnery  of  the  Virgin  of  Iberia  (phot,  by  Kyi!i-,an:vj. 


The  following  manufactories  are  to  be  mentioned: 

1)  The  first  and  only  sugar  refinery  established  in  Siberia  (in  I^WP)  is 
situated  in  the  Minusinsk  district. 

Experiments  conducted  over  several  year's  have  shewn  that  the  climate 
and  .soil  are  favourable  for  the  cultivation  of  beetroot:  hence  the  enterjirise 
is  being  gradually  extended.  The  refinery  ha.s  an  output  of  R   Bo.OOX 

21  The  china  and  earthenware  manufactory,  belonging  to  the  Siberian 
China.  Glass  and  Pottery  Company  of  the  Irkutsk  merchant  Perevalov,  situ- 
ated in  the  Irki'itsk  government. 


258 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  srBERlAN   RAILWAY. 


;i)  Till'  .\li,ik,in  ii'iiii  \viii-|<s  and  I'mindi'ic.s  nf  ]^itl<ovlxn/.lini>v  in  tht'  Ycni- 
soi.sk  j>'i)V(>rnnn'iiI.  ami  the  Xicluilas  works  in  the  Irkutsk  irovei-iiiiicnt.  lirldiiu- 
ing  to  the  Joint  stock  company  ortcaniscd  l).v  Mainontov. 

4)  The  cloth  niamifactory    of  Mr.  Helo>:oli')vy    in  the  li-kntsk    .trovernnienl. 

Trade.  Eastorn  Siberia  consumes  the  inaniilactni-ed  articles  hrought  from 
industrial  centres,  and  raw  agricultural  produce  imported  from  Western  Sibe- 
ria. The  .sroods  are  sold  at  several  permanent  centres  of  commerce  and  at 
the  numerous  fairs  held  in  the  towns  and  villages. 


1 

m 

:*a-1fr»«.   ' 

j^£^E^ 

4 

■■amlul ::  H  :^^^W :: 
^■HllliilHe:;,  ■  iK:: 

'*)wWI    1      "291 

^,     ■,_,       ,     il          ^^^^ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^I^I^HBr^^P^SV^^^^^S^^^^^^^^^^^' 

Town  of  r>/linusinsk. 


The  export  of  raw  materials  frcuii  the  Plast  Siberian  governments  is  very 
small,  because  most  of  the  local  agricultural  products  are  sold  within  the  lim- 
its of  their  own  territory,  and  also  because  the  working-class,  neglecting 
agriculture,  streams  to  the  gold-mines,  or  is  occupied  with  the  carriage  of  goods 
by  road  along  the  highway  of  Siberia,  which  till  lately  was  regarded  as  a 
most  profitable  employment.  However,  upon  the  opening  of  traffic  on  tht' 
nreat  Siberian  Railway,  the  working-class  will  be  obliged  to  return  to  agri- 
culture and  cattle-lireding,  thus  giving  both  a  further  development.  .V  like 
result  will  be  obtained  by  the  emigration  movement  and  the  colonisation  of 
the  governments  of  Eastern  Siberia  which,  possessing  such  groat  natural 
wealth,  will  in  the  near  future,  like  Western  Siberia,  become  a  granary  of 
Europe,  and  supply  its  markets  with  animal  produce. 

The  organisation  of  a  regular  Arctic  Ocean  route  through  the  estuary  of 
the  Yenisei,  and  the  improvement  ot  the  navigation  on  the  Lena  and  Angarii 
will  also  contribute  to  the  development  of  the  commercial  relations  of  East- 
ern Siberia  and  increase  its  productive  capacity. 

The  Yakutsk  territory,  lying  between  54°  and  73'  X.  lat.  and  73°  and 
141°  E.  long.,  is  under  the  Ciovernor-fieneral  of  Irkutsk  and  administratively 
represents  a  separate  territory,  covering  a  superficial  area  of  3,452,(555  square 


EASTERN  SIBERIA. 


259 


vtTSts  with  a  total  iMi|iiilalii>n  of  2t>  1.731  (IHti.util  inaifs  ami  I2.i.ti7ii  Ipmales). 
divided  into  5  district.^:  Yakiitsk  (pop.  143.7i>'.»).  Yoi-kholensiv  (pop.  ri.lS'i). 
Vilii'iisk  (pop.  ti7,418),  Olokniinsk  (pop.  H4.0IS).  and  Kolynisk  (pop.  4,314). 

The  total  absence  of 
fertile  land  i-endei-s  this 
reirion  unfit  for  perman- 
ent Russian  colonisa- 
tion, nature  itself  pre- 
destined it  for  wander- 
inij  tribes  which,  from 
a  remote  date,  have  been 
inhaltiiants  of  these  pol- 
ar reirions,  and  forno- 
mads  who,  having  Re- 
moved from  the  Central 
Asiatic  steppes  are  now 
acclimatised  and  habit- 
uated to  this  polar  t'or- 
est  zone. 

This  far  distant  borderland  can  only  be  to  Russia  what  \orth  America, 
with  the  exception  of  ("anada  and  Oregon  is  to  Europe,  offering  a  wide  scope 
for  the  exploitation  of  the  natural  wealth  contained  in  the  immense  area  of 
this  coldest  countr.v  of  the  Old  \\'orld. 


Holy  Trinity  Monastery.  Kirensk  (Irkutsk  gov). 


Town  of  Yakutsk   Cathedral  and  remains  of  the  ancient  wooden  fortification  (phot,  by  Gavrilov). 


Its  wealth  is  chietly  represented  by  auriferous  gravel.  Mining,  the  only 
industry  in  tliis  region,  is  widely  developed,  with  an  output  of  several  mill- 
ion rubls. 

Gold  is  obtained  in  two  different  ways:  1)  either  the  deposits  are  w^orked 
after  the  removal  of  the  covering  of  turf,  or  the  gold  is  obtained  from  the 
auriferous  gravel,  found  in  the  bottom  of  rivers  which  for  the  purpose  are 
led  into  new  beds  by  means  of  dams  and  other  contrivances. 

2)  The  metal  is  also  obtained  from  underground  galleries  lying  sometimes 
al  a  considerable  dejith:  the  gravel  is  brought  to  the  surface  by  vertical 
shafts  bv  means  of  a  horse-winch. 


2fiO 


GlIDE  TO  TH1-;  GRKAT  SIBKRIAN    RAILWAY. 


The  woi'k  ill  Ihe  mines  is  cari'iiMi  on  in  a  pcrpiMuallx  frozen  soil.  wiMid 
fuel  Ijeinii-  onii>loye(l  for  inoltin.ii-  it.  In  thcsi'  mines  tlic  undernrmind  works 
are  usually  eomliicted  1>.\  means  of  the  pillar  system,  the  worked  sjiaces  being 
faced  witli  sloni'. 

The  mines  now  being 
worked  are  situated  at 
a  distanee  of  1,700  versts 
north-east  of  Irkutsk,  in 
the  Oleknnnsk  district, 
and  are  divided  into  the 
nlekiuinsk  and  Vitim 
,urou]is  under  the  man- 
atientent  of  the  Irkiitsk 
Minini;-  r)e[)artment.  The 
working  of  the  mines 
dates  from  1851, the  annu- 
al output  of  gold  during 
30  years  varird  from  4Ut  to '.Kiit  puds.  Tho  maximuni  percentage  of  gold  is  S  zo- 
lotniks  lil  dolias  to  IW  puds  of  gravel,  obtained  b\  the  Alexiindrovsk  mining 
company  of  the  Yitim  groiq). 

The  richest  mines  are:  the  Baraba  mines  of  the  goldmining  company  of 
the  Olekininsk  district,  yielding  from  72  to  So  puds  per  annum.  Those  of  the 
gold  mining  company  of  the  Olekminsk  district  yield  from  84  to  129  puds  per 
annum.  From  160  to  ISO  puds  are  annually  obtained  in  the  mines  belonging 
to  the  Limsk  gold  mining  company  of  th(^  Olekminsk  district,  and  from  l<i9  to 
220  by  the  Vitim  company  in  the  same  district. 


Town  of  Viliuisk. 


B  1  H  L  I  u  (i  R  A  P  H  Y: 

1  I  Volosts  and  settlements  in  the  Yeniseisk  jrovernnient,  iiub.  by  the  Stat.  Commit,  nl  tho 
.Minist.  of  the  bit.  St.  Vhg.  189.'i.  2)  Volosts  and  centres  of  popnialion  iu  the  b-ki'itsk  goviTn- 
nient.  pnb.  by  the  Stat.  Commit,  of  the  Ministr.  of  the  Int.  St.  PbL'.  IS',14.  3)  Sn|i|ilemenl  to  the 
reprts  of  the  governors  of  the  Yeniseisk.  Irkutsk  and  Y'akntsk  irovernments  presented  to  His 
Majesty.  4)  Cnide  to  tlie  journey  of  His  Imperial  llidmess  the  Tse.sarevieh.  St.  Pbf.  1S91. 
■))  Siberia  and  the  (Ireat  Siberian  Railway,  pub.  by  the  Jlinisfry  of  Finance.  St.  I'bsr.  ISVKi.  (i)  The 
Yeniseisk  government,  past  and  present,  by  Liitkin,  St.  Pbff.  lSi)2.  71  Siberian  trade  and  industry 
calendars,  by  Romanov,  1.S97 — 1899.  Tomsk.  8)  Geological  explorations  and  prospectinps  on  the 
Siberian  Railway,  pt.  II.  K.  Bog-danovich.  Materials  on  the  g-eology  of  the  useful  minerals  ot  the 
Irkiitsk  government.  St.  I'bg.  1890,  pt.  III.  Works  of  the  .Midsiberian  .Mining  Party  in  1894. 
St.  Pbg.  1896.  91  Reports  of  State  Secretary  Kulimizin  after  his  journey  to  Siberia  to  invest!-' 
gate  the  emigration  movement,  presented  to  His  Imperial  Majesty.  St.  Pbe.  1896.  10)  .Append- 
ices to  the  report  of  the  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  State  Ilomains,  after  his  journey  to  Siberia 
in  the  autumn  of  189.')  and  in  the  summer  of  189S.  presented  to  His  Imperial  Majesty.  St.  Pbg. 
1899.  11)  Natives  of  Minusinsk  and  .Vchinsk.  Notes  by  Kuznetsov  and  Mrs.  Kulikov.  Publ.  by 
the  Stat.  Commit.  Krasnoyarsk,  1S98.  12)  List  of  the  most  important  gobi  mining  companies  and 
lirms.  Bisiirnov,  publ.  by  the  St.  Pbg.  Mining  Department,  1897.  l.'ll  Workmen  employed  at  the 
gold-mines  of  Siberia,  by  V.  I.  Semevsky.  St.  Pbg.   1898. 


j 

The  Midsiberian  Railway. 


^  •  action  of  the  line. — Character  of  the  country. — Cost  of   construction. — Description    of 
tions  and  localities  traversed  by  the  line.— Station  of  Ob. — Novo-Nikolaevsk  settlement. — 
kiir. — Oyish. — Bol6tnoye. — Polomdshnaya. — Litvfnovo. — Taigi. — Sudzhenka. — Izhm6rs- 
Kaya.— Berikulskaya.— Town    of    Mariinsk.— Suslovo. — Tidzhin.  —  Itit.  —  Bogot61. — Krds- 
naya. — East-Siberian    frontier. — Town    of    Achinsk. — Tarutino.  —  Chernorichenskaya. — 
Kemchug.— Kacha.— Minino.— Town  of  Krasnoyarsk.  -Basin  of    the    Yenisei.— Station  of 
Yenisei.— Zykovo.—Sor6kino.—Kamarchdga.     BalAi.-Olginskaya.    Tr6itsko-Zaozi6rnaya.— 
Tyrbyl.— Petriishkovo. — Town  of  Kansk. — Ilanskaya.— Irtgash.-Tinskaya.— Kliuchinskaya. — 
Yurty.— Taish6t.— Bair6novka.— Razg6n  — Alzamai  — Zamz6r.— Kamyshit.— Uk.— Town  of 
Nizhneudinsk.— Khingui.— KhudoyeUnskaya.— Kurzin. — Tulun.  —  Az6i.  —  Sheragiil.— Kui- 
hjn.— Kimeltii.— Zimi.— Tyret.— Zalari.-  Golovfnskaya.— Kulutik.  — Cheremk6vo.  —  Polo- 
vfna.  —  Milta.—  T61ma.— Sukhovskaya  —  Innokfentievskaya.— Town  of    Irkutsk.-  Irkutsk- 
Baikal  branch. — Tomsk  branch. — Town  of  Tomsk. 


)HE  Midsiberian  railway  coiiimoncos  at  tho  right  banivof  the  river 
Ob,  at  55'  N..  and  proi-oeds  norlti-oast   to  the  town  of  Mariin.sk 

ind.  runninir  parallol  to  the  50    X.  lat..  reaches  the  town  of  Kansk 
^-'(5(5^  13'  N.  lat.);  from  this  point,  the  line  abniptl.v  turns  south-east, 

following   this   direction    lo  the   town  of  Irkiitsk   (52'  ItV  X.  iat.). 

From    Irkutsk   the   line   descends  south-east  to  i.ake  Baikal  and 

terminates  somewhat  south  of  the  .52-nd  iiarallel. 
The  line  runs  throuarh  the  Tomsk  and  Mariinsk  districts  of  tiie  Tomsk 
government,  throutrh  the  districts  of  Aciiinsk.  Kra.sn.i.varsk  and  Kansk  in  lh<^ 
Yeniseisk  .irovernment,  through  those  of  Xizhneiidinsk.  Halagansk  and  Irkutsk. 
in  tho  Irkiitsk  government  and  passes  through  tho  towns  of  Mariinsk 
Achinsk,  Krasnoyarsk.  Kansk.  Xizhneiidinsk,  Irkutsk,  and  the  town  of  Tomsk 
by  the  Tomsk  branchline.  The  country  traversed  by  the  railway  is  essent- 
ially mountainous  and  woody,  and  is  intersected  by  spurs  of  the  .\lt;ii. 
Alatau  and  Sayan  mountains.  The  mixed  forest  tlora,  alternating  with 
meadows  and  at  times  cultivated  fields,  gradually  pa.sses  into  taiga  and  dense 


■2V>2  GIIinE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN'  RAILWAY. 

growths   of    fir.    Tho    mountain    sijurs   offer   a  sorit\s  of   pictiiresiiuo  panora- 
mas, but  present  great  ditTiculti(>s  for  the  construction  of  the  railway. 

The  country  traversed  by  the  railway  may  be  divided  into  the  foUowin.g 
sections,  accordin.g  to  the  nature  of  the  locality:  the  Ob-Achinsk  section, 
.550  versts,  is  level  land;  Achinsk-\i7hneudinsk.  098  versts,  mountainous: 
Nizhnoudinsk  to  Zima,  2:^9  versts.  hill.v:  from  Ziuu'i  to  Polovina.  i:iS  versts, 
the  country  is  mountainous:  Polovina  to  Irkutsk,  91)  versts,  elevated  land: 
from  Irkutsk  to  the  Baikal,  (34  versls,  also  an  elevated  section;  the  Tomsk 
l)ranch,  89  versts,  mountainous. 

Prom  the  town  of  Mariinsk,  the  line  runs  in  iHMximity  to  the  Siberian 
highway  crossing  several  times  its  sinuous  course. 

The  Krasnoyiirsk-Kansk  section  alone  is  more  distant  from  the  highway 
sometimes  runnin.g  at  a  distance  of  .30  versts  from  it,  across  a  country  otter- 
ing easier  technical  conditions  for  the  construction  of  the  railway.  The  pre- 
liminary surveys  for  the  construction  of  the  Midsiberian  railway  were  con- 
tlucted  in  18S7— 1888  by  Engineer  N.  P.  Mezheninov,  who  was  also  entrusted 
with  the  construction  of  the  line  itself 

The  construction  of  the  Irkutsk-Baikal  branch  was  carried  out  under  th(> 
direction  of  Engineer  Pushechnikov,  chief  constructor  of  the  Transbaikai 
railway. 

The  total  length  of  the  railway  from  the  Ob  station  to  Innokentievskaya, 
near  the  town  of  Irkutsk,  representing  the  main  line,  is  1,71.")  '2  versts.  With 
the  Tomsk  l)ranch  line,  the  total  length  of  Miilsibcrian  railway  amounts  to 
1,8681  2  versts. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  Ob-Krasnoyarsk  section,  inclusive  ot  rolling 
stock  and  rails  was  R.  .86,2.57,171,  or  R.  .50,994  per  verst. 

The  cost  of  the  construction  of  the  Tomsk  branch  line  was  estimated  at 
R.  2.4!)4,19S  or  R.  27,917  per  verst. 

The  estimated  cost  of  the  Krasnoyarsk-Irkutsk  section  was,  inclusive  ot 
rails  and  rolling  stock,  R.  71.779,464,  or  R.  71.49:5  per  verst.  The  total  cost  ot 
the  whole  Midsiberian  railway  from  Ul>  to  Irkutsk,  inclusive  of  the  Tmusk 
branch  line,  was  R.  110,5.30,8.3:3. 

The  cost  of  the  section  from  Innokt-ntievskaya  to  the  Baik;il  64  versts 
long  was,  without  rolling  stock.  R.  3.626,;3;36,  or  R.  od.dOO  per  verst. 

1)  Ob,  111  class  station.  Bullet.  (8  versts  from  Krivoshcht-kovo.  1  ..3.32  versts 
from  Cheliabinsk.) 

The  station  is  situated  on  the  lofty  and  picturesque  right  bank  of  the 
river  Ob.  Previous  to  the  construction  of  the  line,  this  hilly  bank  was  covered 
with  a  dense  virgin  forest  of  fir.  descending  by  abrupt  clitts  to. the  edge  of 
the  broad  waters  of  the  river.  The  station  buildings  stand  on  a  plot  of  land 
bordered  by  fir  wood.  As  the  starting  point  of  the  Midsiberian  railway,  the 
station  is  provided  with  a  spacious  brick  enginehouse  and  workshops  with 
fitting  and  waggon  shops,  a  smithy  and  foundry,  and  locksmith  and  turner's 
shops,  emiiloying  a  total  of  450  workmen. 

A  wooden  church  in  honour  of  the  Holy  Prophet  Daniel  has  been  erected 
near  the  station  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  .\le.\ander  III  fund.  A  sitacimis 
wooden  building  containing  a  two  class  school  for  the  children  ot  railway 
employees  stands  on  the  other  side  of  the  station  nearer  to  the  Ob.  This 
building  contains  a  large  room  with  a  stage  for  amateur  theatricals  organ- 
ised for  charitable  imrposes  by  the  railway  employees;  it  is  also  used  for 
Sunday  lectures  given  to  the  workmen.  Classes  of  sacred    choral    music    are 


THK  MIPSIBEKIAX  RAILWAY. 


263 


held  ill  iIk"  sc-liunl,  Willi  :i  view  In  cneourauc  llif  siiiicinu-  ami  pulilic  loc- 
tun-s.  till'  Maiiaiiiim-  liiri'clur  nf  the  Siberian  ('dnimittcM',  Stato  Si'crotar.v 
Kulom/.in  ihtsoiUihI  the  schoul  witli  a  hivrmoniuin  ami  a  mairic-lantprn.  ("loso 
to  it,  stands  a  railway  hospital  with  a  recoption  room  liii-  ihc  sid;.  From 
hori'  a  liraiii'h  lini'  rims  to  ihr  iImt  Oli.  :!   vorsls    in    li'nu;tli    and    i-nnnrclcd 


Station  of  Ob. 


with  the  saw-mill  hi'lonicinir  to  the  Cahinet  id'  His  .\la,jest.\.  This  liranch 
was  ron.structi'd  for  the  transjiort  of  soods  hi-mmht  hy  water  lo  snppi,\  the 
dtMiiand  of  tiie  Midsiherian  and  Transhaikal  raihvaxs.  In  eonne.xion  with  the 
inci'easinii;  oximrt  of  grain  and  animal  priHliicls.  from  the  .\ltai  mining 
district,  enhirging  the  operaiimis  id'  the  nh  st.ilinn.  ihe  ln-anrh  line  and  the 
hmding  stage  on  the  river  will  aeipiire 
great  iniportanee:  the  goods  Ixuiml 
for  Kastern  Silieria  ,ind  id'r  the  weslern 
markets  of  the  h;m|pire  will  he  lirmiirhl 
from  the  Harnai'il  and  Biisk  distri<'ts 
by  river,  the  i-ight  hank  id'  the  river 
Ob  being  parlieuhirly  widladapted  for 
the  iinehoragp  and  unloading  of  rafls. 
steamers  and  barges.  These  favoiir- 
abh^  conditions  i>xplain  the  prefer- 
ence shewn  by  senders  of  goods  conveying  tiiem  in  ihe  station  ol'idi  instead 
of  that  of  Krivoshchekovo,  although  it  makes  a  difterenco,  if  they  are  sent 
west,  of  IR.  .53  kop.  per  waggon  loaded  with  grain.  There  are  yet  no  arrange- 
ments at  the  landing-stage  for  storing  and  kee|)ing  grain  and  other  water- 
carried  goods:  this  is  wh\'  the  goods  are  kept  on  the  barges  or  unloaded  on 
the  river's  l)ank,  the  railway  administration  assuming  no  resjionsibiliix  for 
possible  damage. 

17  a 


Lnnding  stage  on  the  Ob. 


264 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


This  unsatisfactory  state  of  things  greatly  injures  the  interests  of  the 
owners  and  senders  of  goods  and  a  better  organisation  of  the  hindingplacc 
is  imperatively  required,  such  as  the  construction  of  warehouses  and  eleva- 
tors. The  total  quantity  of  grain  conveyed  from  the  station  of  Ob  to  Irkutsk, 
which  receives  the  largest  sti'oam  of  grain  from  the  fertile  .\ltai,  remains  so 
far  unascertained,  on  account  of  the  recent  opening  of  traffic  on  the  main 
lino.  viz.  in  autumn  of  1898.  According  to  certain  commercial  data  and  inform- 
ation regarding  the  stock  of 
grain  within  range  of  tlii' 
station  awaiting  conveyancr, 
tlie  annual  transjjort  of  goods 
from  the  Ob  station  may  be 
estimated  at  5,000,000  puds. 
I'pon  the  opening  of  traffic  U< 
the  east,  towards  the  end  of 
the  year  1898,  the  amount  of 
i:rain  transported  from  the  Ob 
station  was  1.387,087  puds;  half 
of  this  quantity  was  sent  to 
Kastern  Siberia:  369..562  puds 
to  Ivrasnoyarsk,  187,878  to  Ir- 
kutsk, 41,288  to  Tulun  and 
30,673  to  Kansk. 

One  of  the  most  important 
for  the  benefit    of  the  settlers 
bound  for  Tomsk,  the  .Vltai  mining  district  and  for  tlii>  lands    of  the  (Cabinet 


View  of  the  landing-place  on  the  Ob. 


and  best  fitted  medical  and    feeding    stations 


The  selth^ment  of  Novo-Nikolaevik, 


of  His  Majesty  is  situated  near  the  station,  on  the  right  Ixmk  of  the  nb. 
and  is  the  residence  of  an  emigration  official.  Previous  to  the  construction 
of  the  railway,  a  small  i)easant  settlement  Gusevka,  belonging  to  the  vidost 
of  Krivoshchekovo  in  the  Tomsk  district  with  24  houses  and  a  population 
of  104  inhabitants,  stood  near  the  station.  These  peasants  were  furnished 
with  land  from  His  Majesty's  Cabinet.  Prom  the  year  1893,  upon  the  con- 
struction of  the  Ob-Krasnoyarsk  section,  the  future  commercial  importance 
of  the  Ob  station  and  its  environs  became  apparent;  peasants  long  settled  in 


THE  MIDSIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


265 


the  Tiiliiilsk.  Tomsk  aaJ  YiMiiseisk  sovfi-mnrnis.  and  a  t;rcai  iimnln'r  of 
fresh  cmiiirants  IVum  Iviropean  IJiissia,  streamed  to  this  small  settlement 
and  even  occupied  without  permission  the  adjacent  Cabinet  lands  ol'  His 
Majesty. 

With  a  view  to  regul- 
ate the  pressure  and  ti> 
me(>t  the  deniands  ol'  the 
population,  the  Administr- 
ation of  the  Cabinet 
lands  allotted  a  piec«^  of 
land  watered  by  the  small 
stream  K'.imenka.  a  tribut- 
ary of  the  Ob,  for  perman- 
ent settlement  by  thr 
emijjirated  households.  It 
bears  the  name  of  .\ovo- 
Nikolaevsk  settlement  anfl 
contains   a   population   of 

An  area  of  Iti.tXK)  de- 
siatins  and  2,682  sites  for 
buildinff  houses  were  i^rant 
ed  to  the  i»opulation  bv 
the  Administration  of  the 
Cabinet  lands.  Of  these. 
1,732  are  already  occupied 
and  \.im  are  still  free. 
They  are  leased  for  -io 
years  to  all  comers  irre- 
spective of  class,  for  an 
annual  rent  of  from  R.  2. 
•ill  kop.  to  R.  10,  accordin,!,' 
to  the  situation  ol  the  spot 
chosen.  The  Administration 
reserves  the  ri.i;ht  to  raise 
the  rent  10  per  cent,  after  the  laiise  (5  years, 
alonir  the  street  anrl    17   on  the   vard   side 


Church   in   the  settlement  of  N6vo-Nikoldevsk. 


^]ach  buildini;  plot  is  15  sazhens 
The  jieasant  po|)ulation.  havintr 
sreceived  adilitions  of  bur.iiesses  and  representative  of  the  ofli<-ial  cla.ss.  has 
assumed  the  appearance  of  an  industrial  town. 

In  the  centre  of  the  settlement,  stretching  for  ten  versts  along  the  banks 
of  the  Oka  and  its  affluent  the  Kamenka.  a  fine-brick  church  is  being  erected 
in  honour  of  St.  Alexander  Xevsky  at  the  cost  of  His  Imperial  Majesty  and 
some  private  individuals.  This  edifice  will  serve  as  a  monument  to  the  T.sar 
Pacificator,  the  initiator  and  founder  of  the  Great  Sil)erian  Railway.  Pending 
its  completion,  divine  service  is  held  in  a  prayer-house.  So  far  the  settlement 
possesses  but  two  two-class  schools,  one  a  parish  school,  the  other  founded 
by  the  Administration  of  the  Cabinet  lands.  There  is  no  hospital,  the  sick 
being  attended  to  as  outpatients  at  the  emigrant  station. 

.Ml  branches  of  industry  are  jiractised  in  the  settlement.  There  are  ll.i 
shops  and  stores,  a  beer  cellar,  4  beer  shops,  2  wine  cellars,  2  taverns,  7  baker- 
ies, 1  confectionary  shop,  an  hotel   with   coflee-rooms,    furnished  rooms  and 


266 


GIMDE  TO  THE   fiKEAT  SIBKRIAN  HAII.WAY. 


•">0  inns.  The  liazaar.s  (in  a  l)risk  Inisincss  in  a.iii'inilturai  pnniiK'o  wiiicii.  L-spiT- 
ially  in  winter,  is  lirouglit  a  cnnsideraljlc  ilistanccas  nuicli  as  20ii  and  :5(K) 
versts-  from  tlie  l^nrnaul  and  Biisk  districts.  AciMrdiii';-  to  the  cart-duty  jiaid 

lui  the  ini]iiii-ts  of  local 
produce,  the  total  Inisiness 
ol'  the  niarket.s  amounts 
to  about  R.  -i.ooii.oon  The 
settlement  jmsscs-ses  a 
vdliniieer  fii-e  brigade.  A 
hundred  common  hacknoy 
coaches  without  spi'inij;s 
ply  accordin.i;  to  taritT:  20 
knp.  a  drive.  -SO  koj).  an 
hniii'.  .■)()  kop.  for  pas.sen,Ker 
w  itii  lug.ffajie  to  the  m;irkef 
plai'e.  and  70  knp.  IVtr 
a  drive  beyond  the  river 
K'limenka.  There  are  sev- 
eral otl'ices  for  the  trans- 
port of  goods,  and  an 
intelligence  office  giving 
information  on  tlie  jirices 
o|'  goods  etc. 

After    havin.g  crossed 
the  river  Ob,   the  railway- 
line  ascends  to  the  water- 
shed of  the  rivers  Ob  and 
Veltsovka,    and  reaches  the    Soki'ir 


Embankment  at  28  verst. 


Tom  along  the  valle\    of  tlie  small    liver 

ridge  traversing  a  picturesque  and  woody  country. 

2)  SokUr.  V  class  station  (42  versts  from  Krivoshchi'kovo.  i;i74  tVom  ('he- 
liabinsk).  The  village  of  Sokur  (Barlakskoyei  with  a  pnpulaiicm  nf  Too.  in  the 
Tomsk  district,  is  situated  within  12 
versts  of  the  station.  A  small  quantity 
of  rye  and  rye-meal  is  forwarded  hence 
eastwards.  From  this  ]ioint.  the  line 
descends  to  the  valley  of  the  rixi-r 
Oyash.  and  after  twice  crossin.g  the 
Balta,  its  up|)er  tributary,  ascends 
through  a  mountainous  country  to  the 
watershed  of  the  rivers  Oyash  and 
Inia  falling  into  the  Ob. 

•'!)  OySsh.  V  class  station(S4v.froni  l\rivoshch('>kovo.l4U)lroniChelial)insk). 

The  village  of  Oyash,  with  a  po|iulation  of  654,  |)ossesses  a  local  village 
board,  belongs  to  the  Tomsk  district,  and  is  situated  on  the  Siberian  highway, 
within  10  versts  of  the  station.  The  population  forwards  grain  to   the  Kast. ^ 
In  the  year  1898,  about  6.S.1R8  puds  of  wheat-meal  were  conveyedfromhere  to3 
.\chinsk,  Krasnoyarsk  and  Irkutsk.  Leaving  the  station,  the  line  descends  to* 
the  rivers  Sarbayazh  and  Oyash,  spanning    both    by   bridges    l.'i  sazhens    in 
length.  Further  on  it  passes  through  a  swampy  countrv. 

4)  Boldtnoye.  HI  (dass  stathm.  Huflet.(12G  \.  Irom  Krivesbcln-knvo.  14.iS 
V.  from  Cheliabinski. 


Bridge  over  the  Krutaya  Balka. 


THt:  .MIIislliKKlAX   l(\ll,WAY. 


267 


Station  of  Oyish. 


Till'  village  of  Bolotinskoye  having  a  popiiliition  of  5W  belongs  to  the  Tomsk 
district.  It  i-ontains  a  wooden  church  to  St.  .\icholas  and  a  parish  school, 
(.lats  and  wheat  meal  are  forwarded  east. 
Reaching  the  river  Lebiazhia,  the  line 
crosses  it  at  the  140  verst,  by  a  wooden 
bridge  of  20  sazhens.  Ascending  futher 
to  tiie  upper  reaches  of  the  river  Vui-g;i. 
the  line  following  the  valley  of  that  i-ivei 
crosses  the  Tom  with  its  high  banks  ai 
the  ItJl  verst,  near  the  village  of  Polo- 
moshnoye  by  an  iron  bridge  with  G  spans  ot 
■k»  sazhens,  anti  road-way  upon  the  lower- 
chord  girder  of  the  scmiparabolic  system. 
sup|ioi-ted  on   stoin'  pii-rs  and  abutments. 

51  Polomdshnaya.  IV  class  station  (.ItJj  v.  from  lu-ivoslichekovo,  14i>T  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk)  is  situated  4  versts  from  the  bridge  over  the  river  Tom 
and  near  the  trading  village  of  Polonioshnoye  belonging  to  the  Tomsk  district. 
It  contains  a  population  o\  about  .VKi  and  has  2  shctps  for  niaiuifactured 
articles.  4  other  shops,  2  mercerv   shops  and  a  wine-cellar. 

The  Hngineer  Knorre.  owner  of 
the  vast  railway  workshops  estab- 
lished for  the  construction  of  the 
bridge  over  the  Tom.  built  at  his  own 
cost  a  church  for  the  workmen  which, 
now  that  the  work  is  completed,  will 
be  removed  to  the  station  of  Polomo- 
shnaya. 

.V  certain  (|uantity  of  oats,  rye  and 
wheat-meal  is  forwarded  from  the 
environs  of  the  station  towards  the 
east.  From  this  point,  the  line  ascends  and  crosses  the  small  river  Sosnovka 
at  the  IS,')  verst  over  a  culvert  havinir  a  breadth  of  3  sazhens  laid  under  an 
embankment  8  sazhens  high. 

())  Lilvlnovo.  V  class  station  iHH  v. 
from  K'rivoshcht-kovo.  1.V23  v.  from  Cheliii- 
binsk).  The  line  reaches  the  next  station 
ininning  through  a  level  country  and 
continuous  taiga. 

Tl  Taig-d.  Ill  da.ss  station.  Hutlet.  (222 
v.  t'rom  Krivoshchi'kovo,  l.i.'i4  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk). 

It  received  its  name  on  account  ol 
its    situation    on    a  desert    and    desolate 

spot,  amidst  a  virgin  forest  oi'  tai<ra.  From  this  point,  a  branch  line  runs  to 
Tomsk.  The  station  of  Taiir;i.  although  surrounded  by  a  desolate  and  inhospitable 
country  poorly  suiijdied  with  water,  occupies  an  imiiortant  place  on  the  (ireat 
Siberian  Railway  as  the  Junction  of  two  branches.  A  numerous  pojiulation, 
formed  of  settlers  and  the  former  inhabitants  of  the  country,  established  a 
settlement  on  the  line.  .\{  the  present  time,  the  numbei- of  inhabitants  exceeds 
2,0tN)  exclusive  of  workmen  employed  on  the  line  and  in  the  workshops.  .\ 
church  in  honour  of  .St.  .Vndrow  of  Crete  was  erected    near    the    station,    at 


Bridge  at  98  verst. 


Bridge  over  the  Lebiazhia. 


268 


GtTini-:  T(l  THK  ORICAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


Bridge  over  the  Tom. 


the  co.st  (if  the  Hmporor  .Moxamlrr  111  luinl.  in  (■oiiiiiii'inni-atliin  nf  iIk^  ITili 
October,  IHfSS;  there  arc  also  a  hoii.se  lor  the  clergy  and  a  school.  The  station 
has  no  importance  as  a  centre  of  commerce;  the  inhabitants  principally  earn 
th.'ir  livini;-  livpin  the  railway,  which  traverse.s  a  thinly  poi)Lilated  country. 

It  must  be  said  that  this  i)oint  ol 
.junctidn  was  inconsiderately  chosen. 
There  are  only  a  few  small  hollows  in 
the  vicinity,  poorly  provided  with 
\vat(>r;  for  this  reason,  to  siipi)ly  the 
enji-ines  and  the  numerous  class  of 
workmen  and  station  employees,  water 
is  brought  to  the  station  in  lar.ii'e 
reservoirs. 

Further  east,  the  Great  Siberian 
Railway  runs  through  a  level  country 
covered  with  a  dense  and  impenetrable 
virgin  forest  composed  of  pine,  tir, 
aspen  and  birch. 

8)  Sildzhenka.  V  class  station 
(2,o9  V.  from  Krivoshchekovo.  1.191  v.  from  Cheliabinsk).  Stands  at  the  head  of 
the  river  Chendat,  tributai-y  of  the  Yaya  and  is  better  provided  with  water 
han  the  station  of  Taiga.  Within  a  range  of  2o  versts.  there  are  nine  impoi-t- 
ant  settlements,  someof  them  being  re- 
cently established  by  the  emigrants. 
The  station  is  situated  amidst  rich  coal 
deposits  and  is  very  important  as  a 
centre  supplying  theMidsiberian  railway 
with  fuel.  Coal  deposits,  which  are  part- 
ly worked,  have  been  discovered  near 
the  station  close  to  the  line  and  in  its 
environs,  in  the  settlement  of  Lebe- 
dinskoe  and  along  the  rivers  Mazalov- 
sky-Kitiit  and  Achledat.  At  the  246  verst, 
a  mine  belonging  to  the  Government 
lies  witliin    tiOO   sazhens    of  the  main 

line;  near  by,  two  mines  belon,g  to  private  concerns,  one  to  Mr.  Michelson. 
the  other  to  the  Lebediansk  Company.  The  coal  which  is  obtained  from  the 
Government  mine  is  loaded  at  a  terminus  with  12  cars;  from  the  mines  be- 
longing to  Michelson,  coal  is  conveyed  by  a  branch  line.  .Vccording  to  investig- 
ations made  in  189(3  and  1897  by  Engineer  Krasnopolsky,  all  the  carboni- 
ferous strata  within  the  range  of  the  Midsiberian  railway,  and  those  lying 
southwards  along  the  river  Borzas,  form  the  continuation  of  deposits  scattered 
throughout  the  neighbouring  Kuznetsk  district.  Special  attention  must  be 
paid  to  the  Anzher  coalmine  on  the  Anzher  river,  tributary  of  the  Alchediit. 
According  to  some  existing  data,  a  brilliant  future  lies  in  store  for  the  mines 
of  Sudzhenka.  The  coal  occurs  in  thick  seams  and  is  considered  (it  to  serve 
as  fuel  for  engines;  this  is  why  the  exploitation  of  the  shafts  laid  by  the 
Mining  Department  is  left  to  the  administration  of  the  Midsiberian  railway. 
Out  of  the  fund  for  auxiliary  undertakings  connected  with  the  construction 
of  the  Siberian  railway,  R.82.»XT()  have  been  appointed  for  this  woiU.  the  addition- 
al outlay  being  jirovided  by  tile  cajiital  assigned  for  the  explnitalinii  of  ihcline. 


Culvert  on  the  river  Sosnbvka. 


THK  MIDSIBKRIAX  RAILWAY. 


269 


The  village  of  Siidzhenko  with  TiU  inhabiUints  is  situated  within  0  versts 
1(1  the  station:  it  l>elon.srs  to  the  Tomsk  district  and  contains  a  vilhige  boai-d. 

Previous  to  the  construction  of  the  raiiway,  the  country  within  the  range 
of  the  line  lyini;  east  of  Siul/.lienka.  was  thinly  poiiulated;  at  present  grants 
of  wooded  land  in  the  taiga  have  been  allotted  to  the  emigrants  on  both  sides 
of  the  line,  some  of  which  are  already  occupied  while  others  are  being  settled. 
From  the  station  of  Sudzhenka,  the  line  descends  to  the  valley  of  the  river 
Yaya  and  crosses  it  near  the  settlement  of  Shegarka  by  a  bridge  (at  279  v.) 
with  an  opening  of  50  sazhens,  having  two  spans  supported  by  stone  piers. 
At  many  places  along  the  Yaya,  outcrops  of  gabbro  have  been  employed  for 
engineering  work  on  the  line  and  for  the  casing  of  the  bridge  over  the  Iviya. 

Porphyries  occur  on  the  right  tributary  of  the  Yaya.  the  Alchedat,  beyond 
the  Iversk  settlement,  and  are  used  for  the  foundation  of  railway  buildings. 
Gold  mines  are  found  southward  of  the  line,  throughout  the  basin  of  the 
Yiiya  and  its  tributaries  the  Golden  Kitat.  the  Kelbes.  the  Borzas  and  others. 

It  may  be  sUUed  as  a  fact  that  almost  all  the  valleys  which  abut  on  the 
rivers  contain  a  certain  quantity  of  auriferous  gravel  occurring  not  only  in 
valley.s.  but  also  on  hills.  The  mines  which  are  now  worked  on  the  tributaries 
of  the  Yiiya  yield  about  ')  puds  of  gold  annually. 


station  of  Taiga. 


9)  Izhmdrskaya.  IV  class  station  (293  v.)  (from  Krivoshchekovo. 
162.5  V.  from  Cheliabinski. 

The  village  of  Izhmorskoe  (pop.  dM)  is  near  the  station,  in  the  Nfariinsk 
district.  It  contains  a  wooden  church.  A  considerable  i|uantity  of  grain  is 
forwarded  to  the  east  from  this  region.  In  1S9S,  the  export  amounted  to 
22.T7S  puds  of  rye.  .i3.90.S  puds  of  oats.  5.01.S  puds  of  barley,  10..^0i)  puds  of 
rye  flour. 

From  here,  the  line  runs  parallel  to  the  Siberian  highway,  along  the 
watershed  of  the  rivers  Yaya  and  Kiya.  where  a  thin  birch  wood  alternates 
with  pastures  and  field>;. 

lot  Berikiilskaya.  V  class  station  (329  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo.  1061  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk).  A  village  of  the  same  name  with  a  poimlation   of  949   is 


270 


GUIDE  TO  TUK  GRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


situated  witliin  12  vci-sts.  in  the  Mariiiisk  district.  It  iiossesses  a  stunt' clmrcli 
of  St.  Michael,  the  .Vrchistrategus. 

The  fertile  region  surrounding  the  station  yields  aiiniiall\  a  considerable 
iiuaiitity  of  grain  and  flour,  exported  to  Eastern  Siberia.  In  ISiW.  the  total 
exports  amounted  in  i.s.iii.')  puds  of  rye,  82.894  jnids  of  oats.  l.'>2s  puds  i)\ 
barle\'.  :!G.oiiii  puds  of  rye  tlmn-  and  2.'27")  puds  ol'  dil-seed. 


Church  at  station  of  Taiga. 


From  the  station,  the  line  desf.ends  in  the  valley  of  the  Kiya  river  ami. 
at  the  ."54;")  verst.  spans  the  .Vutihi's  by  a  womlen  bridge  with  an  oi>ening  of 
20  sazhens.  Ascending  I'lirlher  to  the  secomlary  watershed  of  th(>  river 
Antiht's  at  the  ;5:!s  tn  .'Ul  versts  of  the  line,  lies  a  large  swamp  having 
2'  2  versts  in  length  and  an  average  depth  of  1.20  sazhen. 

11)  Mariinsk.  Ill  class  station.  Buffet.  (-'551  v.  IVoui  Krivosludiekovo. 
ltJ9;i  V.  from  (Jhelij'ibinsk).  The  district  town  id'Mariinsk  is  situated  in  proxim- 
ity to  the  station  (|iop.  8.300:  4,;32.-i  males.  :i.!t77  females),  (50°  is'  .\.  lat.. 
j7'25'  E.  long.).  It  staiuis  (Ui  the  ri\'er    Ki\a.    left    triluilary    of   the    ('lud.\m. 


THE  MinsiUKIilW  RAILWAY.  2l  1 

and  on  the  srreat  Siberian  liijih\va>.  I'l-cviinisly  it  was  re|iivsente<l  b>  the 
small  villaire  »t'  Kiiskoi'.  wliirh  in  is.=>t>  was  cnnverti'd  into  a  town.  In  1857  it 
rpoi'iveil  the  name  of  Mariinsk.  The  town  contains  l.ulT  iiouses,  mainly 
wooden,  two  orthodox  churches,  a  stone  cathedral  of  St.  Nicholas,  and  a 
wooden  church  at  the  cemetery  in  honour  of  All  Saints;  a  Jewish  synagogue 
of  stone 

Schoiils:  2  urban  elementary  schools  for  boys  and  gii-ls,  2  parish  schools, 
a  reailini:  school.  A  poorhouse.  a  night  shelter,  an  apothecary's  shoji.  Tlu' 
factories  are  i-oiiresented  by  .')  tannei'ies.  2  soap-bnileries.  1  mead  and  beei- 
brewery.  5  butter  manufactories  and  two  tallow-boileries.  The  output  of  ilie 
factories  does  not  exceed  a  value  of  K.  50,000  to  70,000  per  annum. 

There  are  32  commercial  houses  and  manufactories,  37  shops,  o  miis. 
2  taverns,  l  wine  cellar.  10  wine-shops  and  no  hotels. 


Bridge  over  the  Yaya. 


Furnished  rooms  at  R.  1  a  day.  The  town  revenue  is  estimated  at 
R.  2ii.iiO(t  to  25,000  per  annum.  Upon  the  whole,  the  commercial  oi)erations 
transacted  in  the  town  are  not  considerable,  in  sj)ite  of  the  great  percentaire 
of  .Jews  in  its  population  and  the  proximity  to  tlje  gold  mines.  This  is  explain- 
ed by  the  fact  that  trade  is  concentrated  in  other  localities  lying  near  to 
the  sources  of  industry,  and  the  preference  shewn  by  the  Jews  for  a  rapac- 
ious exploitation  of  the  gold  mines. 

On  the  3  and  4  July  isiJl,  the  town  was  honoured  by  the  visit  of  lli.> 
Imperial  Majesty  the  present  Kmperor  Nicholas  II,  then  Heir  Api)arent  to  the 
throne,  on  his  way  from  the  Far  East. 

His  Ma,iesty  was  greeted  by  the  representatives  of  the  town,  by  schocd 
children  and  a  crowd  of  peo)>le,  and  visited  the  cathedral  of  St.  Nicholas 
the  Miracle-worker.  On  the  4  July.  His  Ma.ji'sty  resumed  his  .journey,  and  on 
his  wav  to  Tomsk  was  welcomed  at  every  village  by  the  people,  who  greeted 


272 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GRKAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


till'  liii|ici-i,il  Ti-avi'llcr  witli  hdly  imiijifS  anil  lirrail  ami  siill,  thus  iiiaiiircslinsi- 
their  coi'dial  liospiiality.  Tlio  rivor  Kiya,  on  which  tiic  town  stands,  is  about 
328  versts  long  and  Iroiii  10  to  50  sa/.hens  wiile.  Xavigatinn  is  carried  on 
only  with  rafts;  sruld  mines  beloniriiiir  to  tlie  Transaltfii  i;'rnii]i  oeeur  (jii  its 
upper  reaehes 


Town  of  Mariinsk. 


The  most  important  trading  firms  are  represented  by  Akselrud  tgold, 
grocery,  trinkets,  colonial  goods),  Gurevlch  (manufactured  goods),  Izikson 
(jewelry),  Saveliev  (manufactured  and  other  articles;  tannery,  soap-boilery, 
lii-ewery),  Yudalevich  (manufactured  goods  and  a  distillery). 

A   great    (juantity    of 

P" ' — ^     grain     products,     mainly 

oats  and  rye  tlour,  are  for- 
warded to  the   east  from 
the  environs  of  the  station. 
In  1898,  the  export  was 
270,;i.»  puds.    \Mthin   two 
versts    of  the  station,  the 
line  crosses  the  Kiya  by  a 
bridge  of  100  sazhens   (at 
3(34  verst).  It  has  four  iron 
spans  of  25  sazhens  each, 
with  roadway  upon  the  low- 
er ciiord,  and  stone  piers. 
From  the  Kiya,  the  line  begins  its  ascent  by  level   grades  (0.008)  to   the 
high  watershed  of  the  latter  and  the  river  Tiazhin.  the  right  affluent  of  the 
Kiya.    The  highest  point  of  the  watershed  rises  to  an  altitude  of  04  sazhens 
above  the  station  of  Mariinsk. 

12)  SilslOVO.  V  class  station  (.384  v.  Irimi  Krivoslu-ln-kovo.  ITlti  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  The  village  of  the  siime  name  (pop.  18(!1)  in  the  .Mariinsk 
district  is  situated  a  verst  and  a  half  from  the  station.  It  contains  a  wooden 
chur<-h  of  St.  Xicholas.  a  school  and  an  el(>mentar>'  school  for  girls.  4  sho])s 
ami  2  tann(«ries.  Leaving  tlie  station,    the    line    resunii's    its    ascent    to    the 


Bridge  over  the  Kiya. 


THK  MIPSinKlilAN'     UMl.WAY. 


273 


watershed  and  roachi-s  its  hiKlu'st  imiiit  all  he  4(iOvorst.  Further  (in,  tlu'  line 
desrends  tn  tlie  river  ivizyliiiiv,  ci-ossin.u-  a  stone  culvert  witli  an  Diieniuii'  ul' 
2..V)  sazhens  undei-  an  enilianiunent  of  ti  sa/liens.  A  small  nuantity  oi'  rye  is 
forwarded  from  iieri'  to  the  east.  In  IM's.  tlic  r\|i(irt  anioimii'd  to  22.1  SM  |iiids. 
mainly  oats  and  rye  tlour. 

13)  Tifizhin.  V  class  station.  (4is  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  1750  v.  from 
Cheliabinski  The  villau'e  of  the  samo  iianio  (pop.  12()t))  is  situated  at  a  distance 
of  4  versts.  in  tlie  Mariinsk  disti'icl. 

The  villa.ire  possesses  a  church  in  iioiiour  of  St  Nicholas,  a  school. 
a  parish  school  and  .'5  shops.  This  r(>.iri<in  supjdies  the  Kast  with  grain. 
In  1S9S.  as  much  as  4:!,;!iH  puds,  mainly  oats  and  rye  thuir.  wei-o  I'orwai-dcd 
from  this  point. 

From  the  station,  the 
line  continues  its  descent 
to  the  rivei'  Tiazhin,  the 
ri.i;ht  triliutary  oftheKiya 
and.  within  3  versts  of 
the  station,  crosses  the 
latter  at  the  421  verst  by  an 
iron  bridge  of  2(t  sazhens. 

Hence  the  line  ascends 
to  the  watershed  of  the 
rivers  Tiazhin  and  Itat, 
for  a  considerable  distance 
running  by  maximum  level 
grades  (0.(K>;;.  Upon  rea- 
ching its  highest  point,  the 
line  descends  by  lighter 
grades  to  the  next  station. 

14)  It^t.  V  class  station  (4.')1  v.  fniui  Krivoschekovo.  1783  v.  fr(nn  f'helia- 
binsk).  The  village  id'  itat  is  situated  at  a  distance  of  4  versts  on  the  .Sibe- 
rian highway  in  the  Mariinsk  district.  It  contains  a  wooden  church  of  St 
Nicholas,  a  Jewish  prayer-house,  a  school  and  an  elementary  school,  8  sho|)s. 
a  tannery,  a  soap-boilery  and  ti  tlour-mills.  Grain  is  forwarded  from  here  to 
the  East.  Inl89S,  the  export  amounted  to  .51,397  puds,  mainly  oats.  From  the 
station,  the  line  continues  its  descent  to  the  river  Itat.  spanning  it  at  the 
403  verst  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  15  sazhens.  Further  on.  it  crosses  a  low 
watershed  and  runs  over  the  Kosul  by  an  iron  liridge  with  an  opening  of 
201  sazhens  (469  v.).  From  the  river,  the  line  ri.ses  by  maximum  grades 
(0.0(W)  to  the  plateau  of  the  next  station 

l.i)  Bog-oWl.  Ill  class  station.  Buffet.  (48(1  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  1818  v. 
from  ('hrlial)insk).  .\  wooden  church  is  erected  hear  the  station  out  of  the 
Emperor  .Vlexander  111  fund:  it  contains  three  aisles  consecrated  to  St.  Nicho 
las  the  Miracle-worker,  the  Yaroslav  Saints  Theodore,  David  and  Constantino 
and  the  martyr  St.  Claudia.  This  was  the  hundredth  church  built  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  same  fund. 

There  is  a  medical  and  feeding  station  lor  the  settlers  bound  for  the  for- 
est localities  in  the  Mariinsk  district,  which  is  also  the  residence  of  an  of- 
ficial for  the  regulation  of  the  emigration  movement. 

The  trading  village  of  Bogotol  (pop.  4,(173)  is  situated  within  6  versts  of 
the  station  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Chulym  on  the  Siberian  highway,  includ- 


Bridge  over  the  Kosul. 


•274 


GUIUK  TO  THE  GREAT  SUiKUlAN    RAILWAY. 


0(1  in  Ihc  Mariinsk  disU'ict.  The  settloiin'iii  is  provided  with  a  stono  church 
in  hoauiir  of  the  Apparition  of  Our  Lord.  :\  .lew  i.sh  pra.ver-house,  2  school.s 
for  boys  and  girls,  a  forestry  school,  and  two  pdorhoiises  for  exile  settlers. 
There  are  4  tanneries.  '^  brick-kilns,  n  tlour-niills.  2.'i  sho|)s, :!  wineshops,  and  a 
local  village  board.  Oats,  wlieat  and  rye  tlonr  are  conv(\ved  from  here  to 
Eastern  SibcriM, 


^HHpPP 

I 

I 


Bridge  over  the  Kosul. 


From  the  station,  the  line  proceeds  along  the  high  watershed  of  the  ri- 
vers Kiya  and  Chulym,  which  has  an  elevation  of  4.^  sazhens  above  the  sta- 
tion of  Achinsk. 

16)  Krdsnaya.  V  class  station.  (517  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  1.S49  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  The  trading  village  of  Krasnorechenskoe  (pop.  3.167)  is  situated 
nt  a  distance  of  6  versts  from  the  station  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Chulym 
and  the  small  river  Krasiia.\a  in  the  Mariinsk  district.  The    villa.ge   contains 

a  stone  church  in  the  name  of  the 
Archistrategus  Michael,  a  Jewish  pra.y- 
erhouse.  2  schools,  a  home  preparator 
school,  a  poorhouse  for  settlers.  4  shops, 
a  brick-kiln.  10  flour-mills.  The  goods 
traffic  is  yet  insignificant. 

Flence  the  line  continues  its  descent 
lo  the  valley  of  the  Chulym  and.  at  the 
.'i46  verst,  passes  the  frontier  of  the 
Tomsk  and  Yeniseisk  governments.  At 
the  547  verst.  it  crosses  the  Chulym  by 
a  l)ri(ige  of  1.^0  sazhens.  with  one  sjjan 
of  50  sa/hons  and  two  of  40  sazhens,  supiiorted  on  stone  piers. 

17")  Achinsk.  Ill  class  station.  Bufl'ct.  (.')5i)  v.  fi'om  Krivoshchekovo, 
1882  V.  from  Cheliabin.sk).  Is  situated  2  versts  from  thi'  town  of  .\chinsk,  con-  \ 
nected  by  a  roadway  and  within  a  verst  from  the  Chulym  .V  branch  line  of 
V-hi.  versts  unites  the  station  with  the  landing-place  on  tin'  Chitlyiu.  A  med- 
ical and  feeding  station  is  established  within  2V-j  versts  ef  the  riiilwiiy  for 
settlers  bound  for  tlie  localities  allotted  for  colonisation  in  the  .\chiusk  and 
Minusinsk  districts.  It  is  the  residence  of  an  official  entrusted  with  the  reiiiii 
alion  of  the  eiuiirratioii  niovniiiMit. 


El  :-!;}■- 


L  hul)  III 


THE  MIDSIBKRIAN  RAILWAY.  -J  (  5 

Achinsk  is  ii  (iislrici  ii>\vii  n|  ih.'  Yfiiiscisk  irnvi'i-iiiiirni  (|i(i|i.  ii.71-1: 
:!.4-Vi  iii.ilt's.  .):li\\  tVmali's;  .'>«'  10'  X.  lat.,  (iiv^  i;C  H.  ImiuM  situati'd  on  liic 
Siht-rian  hiirhway,  uii  tlu>  riiclit  olcvated  bank  of  the  (.'luilyin,  within  l.'i  vtTsls 
of  the  boundary  of  the  Tomsk  govefninent.  The  onvii-ons  of  the  town  air 
hilly  and  covered  with  copses  of  young  bifches,  only  the  western  part  is 
level  and  contains  a  number  of  lakes  provided  with  fish.  Achinsk  was  found- 
ed in  the  XVII  centur,\ . 
In  lti42.  the  Tara  voyevuda 
Tu.i^achevski  estaldished 
the  Achinsk  stockaded  post 
on  the  river  Yus.  tributary 
of  the  rhulym:  in  ltiS2  it 
was  burnt  down  by  tbi' 
Kir.iriz  and  built  ajrain  on 
the  site  of  the  prpseni 
town.  In  1782.  the  town  of 
Achinsk  was  ranked  amonir 
the  district  towns  of  the 
Tomsk  iiovernmenl,  and  In 
1S22  it  was  included  in  ihc 
Yeniseisk  government. 

Since  the  construction  of  the  great  Silicrian  main  line,  the  town  is  much 
ini|iroved  and  enlarged,  containing  now  y'lf^  houses,  four  churches:  a  stone 
cathedral  in  honour  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  a  church  in  the  name  uf  Our  Ladx 
■  of  Kazan,  beyond  the  river,  another  in  imnour  of  the  Hlevation  of  the  llidy 
Cross  at  the  cemetery,  and  a  prison  cinirch  consecrated  to  the  .Vrchangel 
Michael.  The  educational  institutiims  arc:  a  preparatory  gymnasium  for  girls. 


station  of  Achinsk. 


Town  oi  Ai-htnsk. 


a  tlin-i'-class  urban  schiml  \i<v  boys  and  girls,  and  a  parish  school.  Thi-rc  arc 
also  a  public  library  and  a  small  museum,  a  hospital  of  the  Public  (Charitable 
Board,  a  poorhouse,  an  apothecary's  shop,  a  private  )irinting  otTice.  The  town 
numl)ers  5.'5  shops.  10  stores,  o  wine-cellars.  4  wiiio-stores,  a  public  club,  an 
hotel  with  rooms  from  K.  1  to  H.  2  a  da.\ .  Ki  inns.  The  factories  are  rejtre- 
sented  by  S  tanneries,  a  candle  and  soap  manufactory,  2  potteries  and  a  fur 
manufactory.  Their  output  does  not  exceed  a  value  of  R.  :5(1.(HK)  to  4<M'"i)  per 
annum.  The  fair  held  annually  from  the  1.5  November  to  the  l.">  I  )ecember  is 
insignificant,  having  a  business  of  scarcel>   H    4n,(KK(  to  50.00(».  Xo  particular 


■276 


CiUIDK  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


ln-ani'h  111'  indiistrx  is  |iursiici|  in  tliis  tdwn.  wlicrr  onl\  m  siiiiill  i|iiantit.v  of 
maiuit'Mctui'od  and  irrocery  sionds  arc  piil  im  dn'  luarki't.  Tiic  tnwn  rcvi'mio 
aniiumts  to  R.  4n,0(X)  per  annum. 

On  tho  2  -Inly,  1891,  Achinsk    was    visited    by    His    Imperial  Majesty  the   ^ 
present  Emperor  Xichohis  II,  then  Heir  Ai)i)arent  to  the  throne,  on    his   way 
from  the  Par  East.  A  triumphal  arch,  which  exists  to  the  present  day,   was 
erected  for  the  reception  of  His  Majesty  on  the  eastern  side  of  tho  town. 

The  Chulym,  which  is  a  tributary  of  the  Ob.  takes  its  rise  in  the  Kuz- 
netsk Alatau  and  is  composed  of  the  Bhick  and  White  Yus.  Ciold  mines  be- 
lon.a;ing  to  the  mining  district  of  Achinsk  and  Minusinsk  are  situated  on  its 
upper  reaches.  The  course  of  this  river  is  very  sinuous  and  navigation  only 
possible  in  spring  during  high  water  for  a  distance  of  1000  versts.  from  thi^ 
mouth  of  the  river  to  the  town  of  Achinsk. 

Previous  to  the  constructitni  of  the  railway  line,  manufactured  and  iron 
goods  to  supply  Eastern  Siberia'  were  mainly  forwarded  by  tlie  Chulym  to 
Achinsk  and  conveyed  further  in  carts  to  their  destination.  About  140.000 
boxes  of  tea,  sent  overland  from  Kiakhta,  were  the  chief  article  of  transport 
conveyed  by  barges  from  Achinsk.  The  navigation  on  the  Chulym  was  of 
.great  service  during  the  construction  of  the  Midsiberian  railway  line,  for  the 
conveyance  of  railway  appliances  and  materials  to  .Vchinsk. 

Prom  the  .'S— 10  May  to 
tile  1  July,  steamers  with 
barges  come  to  Achinsk 
from  Tiumen.  Barnaul  and 
Tomsk.  The  tariff' lor  pas.s- 
engers  and  goods  is  ap- 
pointed by  the  shipowners. 
These  steamers  iierform  the 
|ia.ssage  from  Achinsk  to 
Tomsk  in  2'  2  to  3  days. 
and  from  Tomsk  over  10 
days.  The  wide  and  fertile 
region  connected  with  the 
town  of  Achinsk  and  with 
the  ad,jacent  Minusinsk  di- 
strict is  particularly  favour- 
able for  agriculture,  and 
will  in  tho  near  future  yield  considerable  quantities  of  grain  for  export  to 
the  East  by  the  Mldsiberian  railway  and  by  the  Chulym  for  further  convey- 
ance by  the  Ob  to  Tiumen  and  the  Eurojiean  markets. 

In  1.S98.  the  quantity  of  rye,  oats  and  wheat-flour  was  >S1,807  |Uids.  Prom 
the  station  of  Achinsk  to  the  east,  the  country  becomes  mmintainous.  the  line 
ascends  to  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Chulym  and  Uliii  and  spans  the  latter 
by  a  wooden  bridge  of  15  sazhens  (566  v.). 

18)  Tarulino.  V  class  station  (570  v.  from  l\rivoshciiekovo.lt)02  v.  from  <  lu'- 
liabinsk).  The  village  of  Tariitino  or  Foknivskoe  is  situated  in  the  .Vchinsk  di- 
strict on  theSiberianhighway  on  bothsidesdftheUlui.  (pop.  l.T'iii).  It  containsa  vill- 
age boiird  and  a  wooden  ciuin-h  in  honour  of  the  Intercession  of  the  Holy  Virgin. 
The  conveyance  of  goods  fmm  this  station  is  insignificant.  Prom  here  the 
liiii'  ciiiitinues  along  the  river  (Jhornaya  and  at  the  58.'!  verst  crosses  it  by  a 
bridge  with  an  opening  of  10  sazhens. 


4 

k^'   4' 

h 

^~-- 

^^?^^#^; ' 

^m 

HK 

wlu.^.^^^ 

"^^ 

===; 

^==^^ 

station  of  Chernorechenskaya. 


THE  MIDSIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


Bridge  over  the  G 


I'll  Chernorechenskaya.  IV  class  station  (580  v.  from  Krivoshchokovo, 
IDIS  V.  from  Cheliabinski.  Tlio  villajre  of  ChornoriH'lu'nskoe  of  the  Achinsk 
district  close  by.  on  the  small  rivor  ("hornaya.  lies  in  a  swamiiy  and  wood- 
ed country  along  the  Siberian  hiirhway:  it  has  a  jidimlalion  >4  1.4tXi.  This 
settlement  was  founded  in  the  XVlll  century  and  contains  a  church  built  in 
1834  in  honour  of  the  Archangel  Michael;  some  documents  preserved  in  the 
church  testify  that  i>revious  to  its  construction,  in  the  winter  of  1833,  a  bell 
weiirhing  42  puds  was  brought  in  the  night  to  the  village  and  left  there  by 
an  unknown  individual.  There  is  a  pai-ish  sdiool. 

The  conveyance  of 
goods  from  the  station  is  not 
considerable.  From  here 
the  line  ascendsby  maxim- 
um grades  of  0.05  to  the 
high  watershed  of  the  riv- 
er Chornaya  and  the  trib- 
utaries of  the  Kemchiig. 
passes  by  the  siding  of 
Kozulka  (tiOO  v.),  descends 
to  the  river  Sharovaya  and 
crosses  the  Great  Kem- 
chiig. left  tributary  of  the 
rhulym,  by  an  iron  bridge 
of  1.')  sazhens.  (623  v.). 
Throughout  its  course  from 
the  station  to  the  607  verst. 
the    line    runs    through  the  tai,ga. 

20i  Kemchiig-.  IV  class  station  (631  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  1963  v  from 
Cheliabinski.  The  village  Great  Kemchiig  of  the  Achinsk  district   is   situated 

on  the  Kemchiig   and   on  the  Siberian 
highway  (pop.  8:^3):  it  has  existed  from 
1787.  There  is  a  stone  church  in  honour 
of    St.    Nicholas    the    Miracle-worker. 
The  place  is  surrounded  with  taiga  and 
swamps:  this  is    why    the  inhabitants 
scarcely  occupy  themselves  with  agri- 
culture. I)ut  mainly  with  overland  trans- 
port, and  partly  with  fishing  and  bee 
keeping.  The  site    of  the  station  is  pic- 
turesque and  covered  with  a  fir  forest. 
The  station    has    no  importance    as   a 
centre  of  export.  Hence  the  line  ascends 
by    light    and     further    by   maximum 
grades   (O.l.i)  to  the  watershed   of  the 
rivers  Great    Kemchiig.    tribuUiry    of  the  Chulym,  of  the  Ob   system,   and 
le  Kacha  falling  into  the  Yenisei.    This  watershed    is   the    highest    on  the 
''i-Krasnoyarsk  line.    Passing   here   throuirh    a  dilficult  country,   the  radius 
idopted  for  curves    is  120  sazhens.    .\fter   having    crossed    the    Kacha  by  a 
-tone    bridge    of   10  sazhens.  the  line  resumes  it  course  alon.ff  the  valley  ot 
his  river  with  maximum  grades  (0.1.=))  and  further  mounts  for  4  versts  to  the 
next  station. 


Station  of  Kemchiig. 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAIEWAY 


View  on  the  river  Kcnichug. 


21)  KScha.  \'  class  station  (071  v.  from  Krivoshclu'kiivo,  2002  v.  irom 
riieliiibinsk).  Sukhovskoe  of  the  Krasnoyarsk  (iistrict  is  tlie  nearest  settlement 
with  a  population  of  115;  it  stands  on  the  Kacha  and  the  Siijerian 
highway. 

■  22)  Mlnino.  V  class  station  (mid  v.  Iniiu  Krivoshchi'kovo,  2.ii:jl  v.  from 
Cheliiibinsk).  The  settlement  of  Minino  is  near  by  (pop.  590);  the  settlement 
of  Areiskoe  is  situated  at  a  distance  of  8  versts,  in  the  Krasnoyarsk  district, 

on  the  great  Siberian  highway;  it  is 
also  known  under  the  name  of  Zaledi'-evn, 
The  settlement  of  Arcnskoe  is  composed 
of  three  communes:  Ar(Mskoe,  Yemeliii- 
novo,  and  Zaledeevo.  These  settle- 
m(!nts  stretch  uninterruptedly  along  the 
iiiuhway  for  a  distance  of  10  vei'sts, ' 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Kacha,  oppo- 
site its  Junction  with  the  Arei;  thei'e 
are  many  side  streets,  a  large  square 
and  about  50  shops.  The  total  |>oi)ula- 
tion  exceeds  4,000.  In  autumn  and 
winter,  the  workmen  are  hired  here 
foi-  ihe  >'i'nist'isk  gold  luines.  The 
settlement  o!  Areiskoe  contains  a  stone 
two-storeyed  chui'ch,  which  was  erect- 
ed in  the  l)eginning  of  the  jiast  century:  the  upper  story  is  consecrated  to 
the  Holy  Trinity,  the  lower  to  the  Intercession  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  The 
church  possesses  an  image  of  the  Holy  Trinity  which  sinc'e  the  year  1709  is 
solemnly  carried  (a  week  after  Easter)  to  the  town  of  Krasnoyarsk  and  to 
the  villages  of  the  KrasnoyarskandYenisei.sk  districts,  and  is  again  brought  ■ 
back   on    the   day  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 

Thei'e  is  a  parish  school  for  boys   and      i  ^t^«,--.        i 

girls. 

From  here  the  line  descends  (grade 
.15)  along  the  valley  of  the  Kacha  to 
Krasnoyarsk,  standing  on  the  Yenisei. 
2:i)  Krasnoyarsk.  II  class  station. 
Buffet.  (71(i  V.  from  Krivoshchi'kovo. 
2,048  V.  from  Cheliabinsk).  The  station 
is  situated  near  Krasnoyarsk,  a  ili 
strict  town  of  the  Yeniseisk  government 
The  passenger  station  is  a  large 
stone  building;  there  are  extensivo 
workshops  with  1,5(X)  workmen  employed 
in  different  kinds  of  work  compri- 
sing waggon  making,  the  fitting  up  of  machinery,  the  black-smilh's 
electro-technical  work,  turnery  and  others.  The  machinery  is  provideil 
electric  motors.  .\  special  workshop  is  attached  to  an  engine-hou.se  holding 
25  locomotives.  A  hos|)ital  with  30  beds  contains  a  reception  room  and  an 
ambulance  for  outpatients.  An  apothecary's  shop.  A  store-house  with  mater- 
ials required  for  the  exploitation  and  construction  of  the  line.  In  jiroximity 
to  the  station  stands  a  woodcMi  house,  containing  the  first  Siberian  railway 
technical  schooljntlie  name  of  the  Hniperoi- .Mcholas  II.  anil  close  by  is  a  med" 


Railway  line  at  the  659  verst. 


trade, 
with 


THE  MIDSIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


279 


ical   ami    Ceedinir  station  fm-  the  registratidii  ami  acconioflation  of  emicrants 
bound  tor  tlu>  Ivrasnoyarsli  and  Minusinstc  districts. 

Sovorai  liiiildings  stand  alonii-  tlio  railway  lino,  acconiodatins  railway 
employees  and  workmen.  A  branch  line  connects  the  station  with  a  landing- 
place  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Yenisei.  Previous  to  the  construction  of  the 
Yenisei  bridge  and  before  the  openinsi  of  traffic  on  it,  waggons,  goods,  pass- 
engers and  emigrants  were  conveyed  t'rom  the  landing-place  on  the  Yenisei 
by  barges  and  steam(M-s  of  the  Government.  This  laiiding-plac(>  is  now  used 
for  the  deposit  of  materials  brought  down  i)y  the  Yenisei  for  the  needs  of 
the  railway,  and  for  the  embarcation  of  emigrants  despatched  up  the  Yenisei 
to  colonise  the  Jlinusinsk  district. 


Railway  technical  school  in  Krasnoyarsk. 


Krasnoyarsk,  the  chief  tnwn  of  tln>  Yenisi-isk  government,  is  situated  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Yenisei  at  its  Junction  with  the  Kiichai.5(i^.\.  lat.,  43''4'E. 
long).  According  to  the  census  of  1897,  the  po|nilation  is  given  as  26.600 
(14..'i73  males,  12.0.")7  females)  and  as  27,299  (13,844  males  and  13,45.')  females) 
by  the  statistical  record  of  1899.  The  town  is  i>icturesi|uely  situated  at  an 
altitude  of  913  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  Yenisi'i.  breaking;  Ihrouirh  a  mountain  pass,  has  a  rapid  current  and. 
in  view  of  the  town,  is  divideil  into  two  liranches  by  pretty  islands  covered 
with  birch  trees.  The  right  bank  is  fringed  by  the  picturesque  Kuisiim  mount- 
ains composed  of  sharp,  rocky  and  round  cones,  with  slopes  covered  with 
dwarf  trees.  At  the  foot  of  these  mountains,  of  which  the  Tokmiika  is  the 
highest,  lie  the  former  Cossack  villages  of  Torgashino  and  Hazaikha.  which 
now  are  inliahited  by  peasants.  Lower  down  rises  the  cupola  of  the  Hataiskax  a 
mountain  formed  of  round  and  fine  porphyries.  On  the  left  bank,  stands  the 
Gornaya  sopka.  whose  summit  consists  of  horizontally  lying  rocks  of  dark 
jasper.  The  mountain  Afontova  is  nearer  to  the  railway  line;  it  is  composed 
of  red  sandstone  covered  with  a  seam  of  red  marl,  from  which  the  town 
received  ist  name.  This  mountain,  falling  to  Ihi'  K;icha,  forms  a  steep 
and  iiicturesque  cape  called  Karaiilnaya  (ior.'i.  on  the  summit  of  which  stands 
a  chapel  seen  from  a  irreai  distance,  built  in  18.").5  by  the  irold-niiner 
Knznetsov. 

The  town  was  founded  at  the  beginning  of  thi>  XVII  century. 

In  order  to  oppose  the  invasions  of  the  Tatar  tribes,  the  .\rintsy  and 
Kiichintsy.  the  Yeniseisk  voyevcida  r>ubensky    founded    a    t'nit    named   Kizil- 

I8a 


•2.S0 


(iUIDE  TO   THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  KAILWAY. 


Yartura  by  the  Tatars  which  means  town  „of  the  luasnoyarsk  bank".  In  1882, 
when  Siberia  was  divided  for  purposes  of  administration  into  Eastern  and 
Western  Siberia,  upon  the  organisation  of  the  Yeniseisk  government,  the 
town  of  Krasnoyarsk  ranked  as  a  government  town.  A.  P.  Stepanov,  a  well 
known  writer  and  author  of  the  first  description  of  the  Yeniseisk  government, 
was  the  first  governor  of  the  town  (1822—31). 

Krasnoyarsk  is  regularly  laid  out;  the  large  garden  in  the  centre  of  the 
town  is  considered  the  finest  in  Siberia.  The  streets  and  squares  are  unpaved 
and  have  wooden  side-walks. 

The  town  contains  2,327  houses,  of  which  only  98  are  of  stone. 

The  best  street  is  the  Bolshaya.  where  the  trade  is  concentrated.  There 
are  II  orthodox  churches;  2  stone  cathedrals,  5  parish  churches,  4  house  chap- 
els (in  the  gymnasium  for  boys,  the  diocesan  school  for  girls,  the  prison 
and  the  Archbishops  house). 

The  stone  diocesan  house  which  is  in  process  of  construction,  will  also 
contain  a  house-chapel.  Among  the  churches,  the  cathedral  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion erected  in  1759  is  worthy  of  attention.  It  contains  the  following  relics: 
a  bell  with  a  Slavonic  inscription,  a  wooden  chalice  ornamented  with  a  de- 
sign dating  from  Boris  Godunov's  reign  (1598—160.5).  The  new  cathedral  of 
the  Nativity,  built  according  to  the  plan  of  the  famous  architect  Ton,  is  re- 
markable on  account  of  its  fine  architecture  and  gilded  cupolas.  Theconstruc- 


Town  of  Krasnoyarsk 


tiuii  of  this  cathedral  was  commenced  in  1843,  on  the  birtliday  of  the  Tsesa- 
revich  Nicholas  Alexandrovich,  deceased  in  1866.  The  gold  miners  of  Krasno- 
yarsk, wishing  to  commemorate  this  event  by  the  fottndation  of  a  cathcral. 
started  its  construction,  but  in  1849  the  vaults  fell  down,  and  the  cathedral 
was  rebuilt  and  ornamented  by  the  gold-miner  Shche.goli6v  at  a  cost  of 
R.  .')i»0.u;iO.  In  1858,  the  late  Tsesaro'vich  Nicholas  Alexanch-ovich,  wishing  to 
participate  in  the  adornment  of  the  Jchurch,  which  was  founded  .-infcomme- 
moration  of  his  birthday  (8  September  1843),  presented  a  silver-clad  image 
of  the  Holy  Virgin  with  the  date  of  his  birth  inscribed  in  one  corner.  When 
the  church  was  inaugiuated  (1866),  the  late  lunpress  Mary  .'Alexiindrovna 
made  a  gift  of  all  the  sacerdotal  vestments.  This;cathedral  was  visited  twice 
by  Imperial  personages:  on  the  21  July,  1873,  by  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis  Alex- 
androvich on  his  way  from  the  East,  and  on  the  1  July  1891.  by  His  Imper- 
ial Majesty,  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II  who,  returning  from  his 
.journey  round  the  world,  arrived  at  Krasnoyarsk  and  visited    tii(>    cathedral; 


THK  MIDSIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


281 


a  short  Te  lioimi  was  then  cclrbnitfil  in  his  presenci'  and  tiic  Aicliliisiiup 
Tikhon  pi-esPiUed  to  Ills  Majosty  an  ima,;;i>  cil'  the  Xativity  i>\'  thr  Holy  Vii'irin 
with  a  few  words  of  gfeoting. 

The  town  of  Krasnoyarsk  contains  a  Roman  Catholic  and  a  Lutheran 
chapel  and  a  Jewish  synagogue.  The  educational  institutions  are  26  in  numb- 
er: a  gymnasium  for  hoys,  a  gymnasium  for  girls,  a  seminary,  a  clergy 
school,  a  seminary  for  l(>achers,  a  piihlic  school,  a  town  school  with  classes, 
a  diocesan  school  for  girls,  the  Shchogoliov  artisans  school  with  2  classes. 
a  railway  technical  school  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas  II,  9  parish 
schools,  4  church  parish  schools,  2  Sunday  schools,  a  woman  surgeon's  assist- 
ants' school. 

There  are  U)  charitable  and  medical  establishments:  the  Vladimir  orpha- 
nage under  the  patronagt>  of  tiie  Kmiiress  Mary,  with  an  elementary  school, 
the    poorhouse    of    the  


lr^'i#- 


The  Christ's  Nativity  Cathedral  in  Krasnoyarsk. 


Public  Charitable  Board, 
a  home  for  convicts' 
children,  a  iioorhoust> 
founded  l)y  the  honorary 
citizen  Mrs.  Shchegoliov 
and  a  feeding  house  for 
orphans  with  an  element-  F^'^^ti 
ary  school  organised  bv 
the  same  lady,  a  baity- 
home  founded  by  the 
Sinelnikov  Charital)le 
Society,  the  night-shelter 
of  the  same  Society, 
the  hospital  of  the  Public  Charitable  Board,  a  iiospital  for  the  poor  found- 
ed by  the  Sinelnikov  Charitable  Society,  the  Ulga  Home  for  emigrants' 
children  under  the  jtalronage  of  the  Empress  Alexandra  Feodorovna.  open- 
ed in  1899,  the  cost  defrayed  partly  from  a  fund  assigned  by  the  Com- 
mitee  for  the  construction  of  the  Great  Siberian  Railway.  There  are  also 
the  following  brotherhoods:  that  of  the  Xativity  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  at- 
tached to  the  cathedral,  the  St.  .\lexander  Xevsky  Relief  Society  for  pupils 
of  the  Krasnoyiirsk  ecclesiastic  school,  the  Relief  Society  for  school  children 
in  the  Yeniseisk  government,  the  Society  for  the  promotion  of  elementary 
education  in  Krasnoyarsk,  the  Sinelnikov  Charitable  Society,  a  branch  of  the 
Russian  Red  Cross  Society,  the  Society  of  doctors  of  the  Yeniseisk  govern- 
ment, a  branch  of  the  Imperial  .\gricultural  Society  of  Moscow,  an  amateur 
society  of  dramatic  art,  an  amateur  society  of  music  and  literature,  a  cooper- 
ative supply  society. 

The  most  important  and  active  society  in  Siberia  is  the  Krasnoyarsk 
branch  of  the  Imperial  Agricultural  Society  of  Moscow,  established  in  18»). 
It  has  iiaid  special  attention  to  the  improvement  of  seeds  and  to  agriculture 
in  general,  thai  being  the  chief  resource  of  the  population.  The  Society 
exhibited  its  produce  in  Chicairo  in  l.'<9;5,  and  in  1892 organised  in  Krasnoy.^rsk 
the  first  agricultural  and  industrial  exhibition. 

The  town  possesses  a  small  museum  with  a  i»ublic  library,  a  library  for 
the  lower  class  with  the  reading-room  of  the  brotherhood  of  the  Holy  Virgin, 
the  Skorniakov  private  library,  bookshops  of  the  Society  for  the  promotion  of 
elementary  education  and  of  the  Bible  Society,  2  bookshops  and  4  printing  offices. 


2y2  GUIDE   TO  THK  (iUKAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 

Tlie  piTiodifals  are:  „The  Yenisi-isk  Guvernment  Gazette",  „Thi'  Yeniseisk 
Diocesan  Gazette",  the  private  newspaper  .Yenisei"  .subject  to  the  censorshi)). 
and  the  Transactions  of  the  Doctors'  Society  of  the  Yeniseisk  government.  The 
town  theatre  was  burnt  down  in  1898,  and  has  not  been  yet  rebuilt.  Thei'e 
are  a  public  and  an  industrial  club.  Hotels:  Russia,  with  rooms  from  K.  2  to 
R.  5  a  day.  Gadalov's  Hotel  —  R,  I  to  R.  :5.  The  Hermitaiie  —  R.  1  .50  kop.  to 
R.  3.  Mrs.  Kuzniin's,  from  K.  I  to  R.  S.  ('entral  Hotel.  7.')  kop.  to  R.  1  .50  kop. 
Siberia,  R.  1  to  R.  2.  Furnished  rooms  charge  from  R.  I  2">  kop.  to  R.  :^  a 
day.  The  Hermitage  Restaurant  contains  rooms  at  R.  1  to  R,  2  a  day.  The 
Russia  Hotel  is  considered  the  best.  The  town  is  furnished  with  a  telephone 
which  has  over  100  subscribers  paying  R.  75  annually. 

During  the  period  fi-om  18.S0  to  1850,  when  mining  industry  was  carried 
on  within  the  Yeniseisk  government,  the  town  of  Krasnoyarsk  was  character- 
ised by  a  lively  trade,  but  since  the  centre  of  this  industry  was  removed  to 
other  points,  the  Krasnoyarsk  traide  has  diminished.  At  present,  the  town 
(comprises  .30  factories  with  an  annual  production  of  R.  582,000:  a  cast-iron 
foundry  and  machinery  works,  a  bell  foundry,  two  saw-mills,  eight  tanner- 
ies, three  boileries,  a  wax  candle  manufactory,  a  distillery,  two  breweries 
a  steam  flourmlU,  eight  brick-kilns,  two  kvas-brewer  ies.  A  fair  is  held 
in  Krasnoyarsk  from  the  20  December  to  the  26  January,  with  a 
turnover  of  R.  25,000  to  R.  .'50.000.  The  town  revenue  during  the  last  three 
years,  from  1897  to  1899.  on  the  average  amounted  to  R.  115,000  annually. 
Financial  institutions  are  represented  by  a  branch  of  the  State  Bank,  a  town 
loan  bank,  and  by  a  branch  of  the  Siberian  Trade  Bank. 

Important  firms  are: 

I.  G.  Gadalov  and  N.  G.  Gadalov  for  manufactured  goods,  mercery,  colo- 
nial wares,  tea  and  sugar.  X.  X.  Gadalov— shipowner.  Smirnov— manufactured 
articles.  Zolotov— distillery.  Komarov— bookseller.  Kuznetsov  —  manufai'tured 
and  other  wares.  Parevalov— pottery,  china  and  glass  of  his  own  manufacture. 
Poliakov— wine  of  his  own  manufacture.  Razzorenov  —  ready-made  clothes. 
Trifon  Saveliev  and  Sons  for  manufactured  goods  and  mercery.  Sharykov— 
LCold-miuer  and  shipowner.  Stebler— optician  and  gunsmith.  Yiuiin  —  wine  of 
his  own  manufacture. 

Transport  offices:  Russian  Goods  Transport  Society,  the  Xadezhda  Society,  ^ 
Kiikhterin,  Chevelev,  Poliakov  and  Kuznetsov. 

The  freights  per  pud  are  R.  2  60  kop.  to  St.  Petersburg  and  R.  2  40  kop.  to 
Moscow.  For  goods  in  transit  there  is  a  first-class  custom-house  in  Krasnoy:'ii-sk. 

Agents  of  insurance  societies:  Dobzhinsky  of  the  First  Russian  Fire  Insur- 
ance Society;  Zhilin— of  the  Russian  Fire  Insurance  Society:  Potekhin— of  the 
Russia  Fire  Insurance  Society,  Smirnov  of  the  Northern   Society. 

Hackney  coaches  are  represented  by  uncomfortable  carts  without  springs,   % 
plying  without  a  tariff. 

Amon.i;  the  important  events  in  the  history  of  the  town,  may  be  mentioned 
the  visit  of  His  Imperial  Majest>-.  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II.  which 
took  place  on  the  1  and  2  July,  in  1891  on  his  way  from  the  Far  Fast.  A 
triumphal  arch,  erected  in  honour  of  the  Imperial  guest  near  the  landing- 
place  on  the  bank  of  the  Yenisei,  exists  to  the  present  day.  After  having 
surveyed  the  town  relics,  the  educational  and  charitable  institutions  and  the 
local  troops.  His  Imperial  .Majesty  examined  with  great  interest  some  archaeo- 
logical remains  and  shainanistic  articles  used  by  the  natives.  be|i)n'.ring 
mainlv  to  the  Kachintsy,  exhibited  in  the  Minusinsk  museuiu. 


THE  MIDSIHKRIAX    U.MI.WAV. 


283 


Mr.  Yudin's  summer  villa  Tarakano.f. 


--    i'cnis^i. 


There  are  two  monasteries  in  the  environs  of  Krasnoyarsk:  the  monastery 
of  the  Ascension  situated  within  12  versts  of  the  town  higher  up  tlie  Yenisei 
on  its  elevated  and  picturesiiue  bank:  it  is  inhatiited  by  a  few  monks;  2  wood- 
en churches  and  a  large  stone  huildinir  are  attached  to  the  monastery. 
.The  nunnery  in  honour  of  the  Miraculous  Apparition  of  the  Holy  Virgin  is 
M)  versts  from  the  town  by  the  Siberian  highway:  it  possesses  2  wooden 
churches  and  al)out  40  nuns,  who  teach  i-eading.  writing  and  liandwork  to 
the  girls  of  the  neighlioiiring  villaires. 

Special  mention  is 
due  to  the  library  of  the 
Krasnoyarsk  merchant 
Yiidin.at  his  pretty  resid- 
ence Tarak;inovka  si- 
tuated at  a  distance  ot  4 
versts  from  the  town 
near  the  railway  bridge 
over  the  Yenissei.  It  is 
housed  in  a  special  two- 
storeyed  building  near 
the  house  inhabited  l)y 
its  owner.  The  library 
contains  upwards  of  15(1 
cases  with  approximately 

l(iO,(NN)  volumes.  A  sum  of  H.  12B,iir>7  K.  28  was  expended  on  its  maintenance 
till  ls9)s.  A  catalogue,  which  is  now  being  made,  will  in  the  future  facilitate 
the  arrangement  of  the  books.  Bibliogra|>hy  is  very  well  represented.  The 
library  is  also  well  furnished  with  works  concerning  Siberia.  Almost  all  the 
lieriodicals  which  were  issued  from  the  beginnig  of  the  XIX  century  are  to 
be  found  there. 

The  quantity  of  goods  conveyed  fi'oin  tiie  Krasnoyarsk  station  has  not 
yet  been  ascertained,  on  account  of  the  recent  opening  of  the  traffic  to 
Irkiiisk.  In  1S98,  it  amounted  to  fJ.-5.847  puds  of  grain,  mainly  wheat  flour, 
forwarded  east,  and  65.494  puds  of  cedar-nuts  sent  west. 

The  Yenisei,  which  is  one  of  the  largest  rivers  in  Siberia,  rises  in  Mon- 
golia and  is  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Khakem  and  Bikem.  After  entering 
the  limits  of  Siberia,  the  river  receives  its  name  from  the  Tungus  ..loanesi". 
which  means  .wide  water".  Breaking  through  the  Sayan  ridge,  the  river 
forms  a  large  bar  over  which  it  runs  at  the  rate  of  60  versts  an  hour. 
Further  on.  the  river  widens  and  slackens  its  course,  but  retains  its  mount- 
ainous character  till  the  town  of  Minusinsk. 

Al  a  distance  of  12  versts  beyond  Minusinsk,  the  Yenisei  receives  the 
Abakan,  which  is  navigable  for  a  distance  of  .50  versts;  its  basin  is  provided 
with  rich  gold-mines,  coal  deposits  and  copper  and  iron  ores.  Twenty  five 
versts  further,  the  Yenisei  is  joined  by  the  navigable  river  Tuba,  flowing 
through  a  populous  and  fertile  valley,  where  iron  mines  occur  along  its  trib- 
utary the  Irba.  Entering  the  Achinsk  district  and  flowing  X.  X.  E.  for  a 
distance  of  130  versts,  the  Yenisei  does  not  receive  any  important  affluents. 
From  the  boundary  of  the  Achinsk  district  to  the  town  of  Krasnoyarsk,  it 
traverses  a  moimtainous  country,  receiving  on  the  left  the  small  river  Biriiisa, 
remarkable  on  account  of  the  numerous  caves  occurring  in  the  limestone 
mountains,  and  the  Mana  on  the  riirht.  Thi'    i>readth    of   the   Yenisei,   which 


284 


GUIDE   TO  THE  GREAT  SIDERIAN  RAILWAY. 


iibovo  Krusiioyarsk  is  ciiDthicd  lieUveon  mountains,  at  .sonic  pla('P.s  narrows 
to  150  sazhens,  whereas  at  others  it  expands  to  a  verst  and  a  hall' and  some- 
times more;  the  velocity  of  its  current  varies  from  8  to  10  versts  an  hour. 
Down  stream  from  Khasnoyarsk,  tlie  river  with  its  islands  has  a  width  of  a 
verst.  After  its  junction  with  the  Kan.  fallintc  into  it  on  the  right,  the  Yenis('i 
turns  north-west,  and  enterinc;  the  Yenisei  district,  runs  northwards,  where 
it  receives  the  immense  and  full-tlowintc  river  Tungi'iska  or  Angara. 

At  this  point,  the  river  has  a  breadth  of  a  verst  and  a  half  and  more. 
Beyond  the  to^n  of  Yeniseisk,  the  Kas,  belonging  to  the  Ob-Yenisei  canal, 
and  the  Turukhan  fall  into  it  on  the  left;  from  the  right  it  receives  the  Pod- 
kamennaya-Tunguska  (rich  gold  mines  occur  along  its  tributaries'),  the 
Bakhta,  the  Lower  Tunguska  and  the  Koreika.  In  its  lower  course,  the  rivei- 


The  Yenisei  near  Krasnoyarsk. 

is  from  3  to  o  versts  wide  and  even  more,  including  the  islands.  On  reaching 
70°51'  N.  lat.,  the  Yenisei  falls  into  Yenisei  Gulf. 

Its  total  course  is  3,100  versts.  The  Gulf  of  the  Yenisei  comprises  a 
distance  of  250  versts,  and  a  width  of  20  to  60  versts.  At  Krasnoyarsk,  the 
ice  on  the  river  breaks  between  the  11  and  27  April  and  freezes  again  be- 
tween the  27  September  and  the  11  November.  In  spring,  the  w-ater  rises 
5  sazhens  above  its  ordinary  level.  The  Yenisei  abounds  in  fish,  which  how- 
ever is  of  an  inferior  quality  to  that  in  the  Ob.  Although  containing  numerous 
bars  and  reefs,  the  Yenisei  is  navigable  nearly  throughout  its  course,  and  is 
deep  enough  for  moderate  sized  steamers,  reaching  the  town  of  Yeniseisk. 

During  the  navigation  season,  26  steamers  cruise  in  the  Yenisei  basin: 

1)  The  Krasnoyarets,  a  two-screwed  iron  steamer,  25  X.  H.  P.,  belonging 
to  Uherepennikov. 

2)  The  St.  Xicholas,  duulile-wheeled  iron  steamer,  I4(i  11.  P.,  Sibiriakov. 

3)  The  Dedushka 
■i)  The  Rossia.         ) 
.5)  The  Moskva,  two-wheeled  iron  steamer,  tJO  H.  P.  Ivanov. 

(i)  The  Minusinsk,  iron  screw-steamer   of   the   seagoing  type,    25    H.    P 
belonging  to  the  Poi)liaiii  Trading  Company. 


two-wliei'ied  iron  steamers,  lOo  11.  P.,  Gadalov. 


t 


THE  MIDsraERIAN    RAILWAY. 


•_>so 


7)  The  Barnaul,  40  H.  P.,  Francois  Labbon. 

a)  The  Yenisei,  two-wheeled  steamer  with  woodon  hull,  oo  H.  \'..  Y>ni- 
seisk  Co. 

91  The  .\nna.  wooden  serew-steanier.  20  H.  P.,  Hiuhintsev. 

10)  The  liinatius,  two-wheeled  wooden  steamer,  4.'i  H.  P..  Kytmanov. 

11)  The  Transport-boat  N°I.  iron  screw-steamer.  6  H;.  P..  Germt'inov. 

12)  The  Aliakanets,  two-wheeled  wooden  steamer,  22  H.  P..  Porechin. 

13)  The  (iremiashchy.  two-serewed  iron  steamer. 

14)  The  Khnibry.  two-wheeled  wooden  steamer.  Mechanical  Engineer 
Knorre. 

15)  The  Pioneer,  two-wheeled  iron-steamer. 

The  steamers  Glenmore  and  Scotia  were  purchased  by  the  Yeniseisk 
merchants  Vostrotin,  Kytmanov  and  Balandin  from  Popham's  English  Company. 

.\ine  steamers  belonging  to  the  ("lovernment  are  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Engineers  of  Ways  of  Communication,  to  satisfy  the  needs  of  the  railway, 
and  serve  for  the  clearing  of  the  Angara. 

Freight  and  passenger  steamers  ply  regularly  several  times  a  week 
from  Krasnoyarsk  to  Yeniseisk.  From  Krasnoyarsk  to  Minusinsk,  navigation 
is  only  possible  at  high  water:  at  other  times,  the  steamers  only  reach  the 
village  of  Sorokino.  Between  Yeniseisk  and  the  mouth  of  the  Yenisei,  navig- 
ation is  carried  on  by  tow-steamers.  The  opening  of  traffic  on  the  Siberian 
main  line,  having  already  changed  the  former  systems  of  trade  in  Siberia, 
will  also  contribute  to  the  development  of  navigation  on  the  Yenisei,  favi«ur- 
ably  situated  as  far  as  concerns  the  easy  access  to  its  mouth,  offering 
every  convenience  for  the  establishment  of  a  direct  communication  with 
Euro|>e  through  the  Arctic  Ocean. 


Inauguration  of  the  future  bridge  over  the  Yenisei. 


The  bridge  over  the  Yenisei  (718—719  versl  from  Krivn,shchekovo)  lias  a 
total  lenirth  >if  4;^'  4  sazhens  and  is  composed  of  six  princi|ial  sjjans.  with 
metallic  girder*  measuring  07.714  sazhens  between  the  centres  of  bed-plates, 
and  two  small  spans  covering  the  space  between  the  land  piers  and  the 
abutments.  The  metallic  superstructure  of  the  principal  syians  carries  the  tra<;k 
on  the  lower  chord  and  consists  of  two  statically  determined  trusses  with  main 
struts  of  tubular  section  and  ordinary  tlanged  braces  and  intermediate  struts. 


•28(5 


GUIUK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


The  roadway  has  continu<ni.s  lontritudinal  beams  suppoi-ied  by  tulmlar 
cross  girders  rivetled  to  tlie  main  frames.  The  breadth  between  the  principal 
trusses  is  19V2  feet  and  their  maximum  height  71  feet.  The  trusses  for  the 
small  spans  are  semiparabolic  and  carry  the  track  on  the  upper  chord.  The 
bridgeflonrinsi  is  suited  for  wheel  traffic  and  is  composed  id'  timber  baulks 
covered  with  planking  fixed  in  longitudinals  of  trough  section  in  the  pi-in- 
cipal  spans  and  to  consols  in  the  smaller  ones. 

The  metallic  superstructure  is  of  cast-steel  from  the  plans  of  Engineer 
L.  D.  Proskuriakov,  Professor  of  the  Moscow  Engineering  school.  The  metal 
was  delivered  by  the  Nizhnetagil  Works  belonging  to  the  Successors  of  P.  S. 
Demidov,  Prince  San-Lionato. 

The  steel  bearings  were  prepared  at  the  Huta  Bankowa  works  at  Warsaw. 

All  the  river  piers  are  founded  on  iron  pneumatic  caissons  and  are  con- 
structed with  starlings  rising  1.25  sazhens  above  the  highest  water-mark. 
The  western  abutment  is  also  founded  on  a  metallic  caisson,  while  the  eastern 
stands  on  a  timber  one  constructed  according  to  the  system  of  Engineer 
Knorre.  The  depth  of  foundation  for  the  river  piers   is   8'  2   sazhens,   for  the 


Construction  of  the  Yenisei  bridge  in  winter. 


western  abutment,  S'/a  sazhens,  and  for  the  eastern  ion  I'ockl  2.59  sazhens. 
The  whole  masonry  is  of  local  granite,  obtained  from  a  village  situated  on 
the  river  60  versts  above  the  bridge.  Most  of  the  cement  was  furnished  from 
the  Glukhooztjrsk  works  at  St.  Petersburg.  Tiie  trusses  are  located  10  sazh- 
ens above  low-water  nuirk. 

The  whole  construction  of  the  bridge,  including  the  pneumatic  founda- 
tions, masonry,  mani|iulation  of  iron  work,  erection  and  riveting  was  accom- 
plished by  Engineer  Knorre. 

The  separate  spans  of  the  superstructure  were  framed  on  the  embank- 
ment adjoining  the  abutments  and  by  means  of  capstans  were  launched  into 


THE  MIDSIBEKIAN    KAM.W.VY. 


287 


pnsitiim  liver  rollers.  The  IVaming  of  the  iron  work  was  carried  out  with  the 
hel|>  of  a  special  rolliriir  crane.  This  system  of  erection  and  launching:,  devised 
h.v  the  contractor  hintself.  was  a|i|ilied  here  for  the  first  time  for  the  con.struc- 
tion  of  a  bridge  of  such  niairnitiide  and  proved  most  successful,  securing  the 
rapid  completion  of  the  work. 


Bridge  over  the  Yenisei. 


241  Yenisei.  Butlet.  (71>.i  v.  from  Krivoshchi-kovn,  2ii51  v.  from  Cheliii- 
l)insk>  is  situated  on  the  riglit  l)ank  of  the  Yenisei.  Considerable  quantities 
or  strain  are  conveyed  from  here  to  the  East,  carried  to  the  station  by  the 
water-ways  from  the  fertile  districts  on  the  upi>er  Yenisei.  In  1898.  the  total 
export  of  grain  amounted  to  178.!t7S  puds. 

25)  ZykOVO.  IV  class  station  (744  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo.  207i)  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk)  Xear  at  hand  is  the  settlement  of  Zykovo  (poj).  170)  and  the 
trading  village  of  Voznesenskoye  (pop.  1069)  on  the  8iberian  highway,  in  the 
Krasnoyarsk  district.  The  village  contains  a  wooden  church  in  honour  of  the 
Resurrection  of  Christ,  a  school  %vith  one  class  and  the  local  village  board. 
Workmen  fur  the  Yeniseisk  gold  mines  are  hired  here.  On  the  30  .June,  1891, 
the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II,  on  his  way  from  the  Far  Hast,  received 
here  a  deputation  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  Krasnoyarsk  district,  who  offer- 
ed him  bread  and  salt  on  a  silver  dish.  His  Majesty  passed  the  night  here 
and  resumed  his  journey  at  8  in  the  morning. 

The  station  is  not  important  as  regards  forwarding  of  goods. 

The  railway  line  continues  its  ascent  elong  the  valley  of  the  Beriozovka. 
flanked  on  both  sides  by  high  and  steep,  mostly  rocky,  banks  and,  following 
its  bed  to  the  7.57  verst,  spans  the  river  by  a  bridge  of  25  sazhens. 

2ti)  Sorbkino.  V  class  station  (767  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2039  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  From  here  the  line  mounts  along  the  valley  of  the    Sftik    (ma- 


288  OUIDE    TO  THE  GKE.VT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

xinuiin  icrado  .(il)  and,  after  cmssiiiii'  this  river  1)\  a  bridge  of  s  sazhens, 
asi-ends  by  a  grade  of  0.15  to  a  watershed,  the  highest  point  of  wliich  lie.s 
126.8  sazliens  above  the  roadway  of  the  Yenisei  bi-idge.  This  ascent  has  tiiree 
(•ulverts  made  of. 'stone  passing  under  an  enibanlcment  of  8  sazhens.  Leaving 
the  watersherl.  the  line  descends  by  an   incline  of  .015   to   the  next  station. 

27)  Kamarchdg'a.  V  class  station  iTVM  \.  fmm  Krivoshchekovo.  2123  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk). 

The  line  again  approaches  the  Siberian  highway  it  bad  left  bfiorr;  the 
village  of  Tertezhkoye  is  situatetl  within  8  versts,  in  the  Krasnoyarsk  district 
(pop.  1250).  It  contains  a  wooden  church  and  a  reading  school.  From  the 
station,  the  line  descends  by  light  grades  and  reaches  the  i-lver  Yesaiilovka, 
spanning  it  at  the  799  v.  by  an  iron  bridge  with  an  opening  of  20  sazhens. 
Further  on,  the  line  ascends  (niaxinuini  grades  .015)  to  the  watershed  of  the 
rivers  Yesaiilovka  and  Hab'ii  having  an  altitude  of  47  sazhens,  and  thence 
descends  again. 

28)  Baldi.  V  class  station  (813  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2145  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk). 

The  village  of  Balaiskoe  (Xiki'iiskoei  witli  a  population  of  836  is  situated 
at  a  distance  of  5  versts  in  the  Kan.sk  district,  containing  a  church  in  lnuioiu' 
of  St.  Nicholas  the  Miracle-worker,  and  a  school. 

Hence  the  line  reaches  the  Balai  river,— crossing  it  at  the  821  verst  l)y  a 
wooden  bridge  of  25  sashens  with  a  height  of  4'/4  sazhens,  and  further  on, 
by  a  maximum  grade  of  0.1.5,  mounts  to  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Balai 
and   Ryl)naya 

29j  Olg'inskaya.  Ill  class  station.  Buffet.  (.s;i7  v.  fr(un  Krivoshcliekovo, 
2169  V.  from  Cheliabinsk). 

This  station  and  the  settlement  established  by  the  emigrants  in  its  vici- 
nity, received  their  name  in  honour  of  the  Grand  Duchess  Olga  Xikolaievna. 
The  settlement  is  inhabited  by  emigrants  from  the  governments  of  (>ri61. 
Tambov,  Poltava  and  Kharkov.  To  meet  the  spiritual  needs  of  tiie  railway 
employees  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Olga  settlement,  a  wooden  church 
dedicated  to  St.  Olga  has  been  built  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alexander 
HI  fund,  in  honour  of  the  Grand  Duchess  Olga  Nikolaievna.  The  first  stone 
for  the  church  was  laid  on  the  11  -Uily,  1897;  it  was  inaugurated  on  the  27  ' 
March  by  Joachim.  Archbishop  of  Yeniseisk  and  Krasnoviirsk.  His  Iiu]>erial  ' 
Majesty  the  Emperor  favoured  the  church  with  the  gracious  gift  of  church 
utensils  and  a  chime  of  bells. 

There  is  a  medical  and  feeding  station  Un-  tlie  registration  and  distribu- 
tion of  the  settlers  in   the   localities    allotted    to   colonisation    in   the   Kansk  . 
district.  It  is  also  the  residence  of  an  nfftcial  entrusted  with    the   regulation 
of  the  emigration  movement. 

The  village  of  L'yar  (Spasoprcobrazlienskoye)  is  situated  on  the  Siberian 
highwa\-,  in  the  Kansk  district  (pop.  1248).  It  possesses  a  wooden  church  in 
honour  of  tlie  Transfiguration  of  Our  Saviour  and  a  parish  school. 

From  the  Olginsk.aya  station,  the  line  descends  by  maxinuim  grades  of 
015  to  the  valley  of  the  Hybnaya,  crossing  this  rivi'r  by  an  imn  bridge  with 
an  opening  of  6i)  sazhens. 

30)  Trditsko-ZaoziOrnaya.N'  class  station  I865  v.  fmni  Krivnsbeln-kovo. 
2197  V.  from  Cheli;'ibiusk). 

The  settlement  of  the  same  name,  with  a  pupulatiDU  of  1.33U.  is  close  to 
the  station:  it  lielongs  to  the  Kansk  district  and  stands  en  the  Brirciia,  ti'ibut- 


t 


THE  MIDSIBKRIAN    RAILWAY. 


289 


ary  of  the  Kan.  There  is  a  womlen  church  of  John  iho  Baptist  and  a  school 
This  villatre  enjoys  a  certain  reimtation  for  its  corn  trade.  At  the  end  of  the 
XVIIl  century,  an  iron  mine  situated  at  a  distance  of  7  versts  was  worked 
by  the  merchant  Lobanov.  a  small  iron  works  having  been  established  for  this 
purpose.  At  the  present  time,  nothins;  is  left  of  it.  The  estate  of  the  nobleman 
Samoilov,  the  largest  in  Silieria.  stretclu'd   along  the  Horcha  and  covered  an 


station  of  Olginskaya. 

area  of  25  versts  in  length  and  !.'>  versts  in  width.  These  lands  have  long 
since  again  become  the  |iro|iert\   of  the  .State. 

Within  22  versts  of  the  station,  nn  the  Siberian  highway,  is  situated  the 
village  of  Rybinskoye  with  a  population  fd'  4.4til:  it  is  one  of  the  largest  trad- 
ing villages  of  the  Kansk  district. 

The  inhabitants  are  chiefly  engaged  in  agriculture.  The  village  contains 
a  stone  church  of  Peter  and  Paul,  a  .Jewish  i)rayerhouse,  a  model  school  with 
two  classes,  a  parish  schu(d,  a  hospital  and  the  village  board.  When  His 
Imperial  Majesty,  the  present  Emperor  .Nicholas  II,  in  1891  halted  at  this  vill- 
age, the  whole  commune  offered  him  three  grey  horses,  which  were  gracious- 
ly accepted  by  His  Majesty  and  sent  off  to  Tomsk.  The  Imperial  traveller 
gave  R.  5<W  for  the  local  parish  school. 

Leaving  the  station,  the  line  reaches  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Bui'cha 
and  Kamiila,  and  descends  to  the  valley  of  the  Kamala,  crossinir  it  at  the 
876  verst  by  a  a  wooden  l)ridge  with  an  opening  of  20  sazhens. 

31)  Tyrbyl.  V  class  station  (885  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2.217  v  from 
Cheliabinsk). 

The  settlement  of  Tyrbyl  was  established  near  the  station  b>  emigrants 
from  the  governments  of  Poltava  and  Chernigov. 


290  GUIDE    TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 

Hence  tlic  line  desceml.s  t"  tlie  river  T.\i-hyl.  crossinir  tlie  latter  over  a 
f'ulveft  with  an  openinir  of  2.75  sazhens.  passin,^  undef  an  pnil)ankinent  of 
2.5  sazhens.  Further  the  line  mounts  to  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Tyrbyl 
and  the  Little  Uria  and  passes  over  its  summit,  which  has  an  elevation  of 
100  sazhens.  above  the  roadway  of  the  Yenisei  bridge,  followins:  steep  srades, 
which  re(iuired  a  .great  quantity  of  earth  and  engineering  work. 

32)  Petrilshkovo.  V  i-lass  station  (908  v.  tVnni  Krivoshchekovo.  2240  v. 
from  Chelial)inskl. 

Since  the  construction  of  the  line,  an  emigrant  settlement  ha.s  been 
established  near  the  station.  .\.  wooden  church,  inaugurated  on  the  21  March. 
1899,  in  honour  of  the  Moscow  Saints  Peter,  Alexis,  John  and  Philip,  has  been 
built  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  JII  fund,  in  order  to  satisfy  the 
spiritual  needs  of  the  settlers  and  railway  employees.  The  church  utensils 
are  made  of  silver  given  by  the  Emperor.  The  bronze  for  the  bells  was  also 
provided  by  His  Majesty. 

The  trading  village  of  Urinskoye  of  the  Kansk  district,  with  a  population 
of  2,248,  is  situated  within  20  versts  of  the  station  on  the  Siberian  highway. 
It  contains  a  local  board,  a  one-class  school,  several  shops  and  a  stone 
church  in  honour  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  His  Imperial  ]\Ia.jesty,  the  present 
Emperor  Nicholas  II,  on  his  way  from  the  Far  East  in  1891,  visited  this  church 
and  made  a  gift  of  R.  100.  This  donation  was  employed  to  purchase  an  altar 
cross  on  which  the  following  inscription  was  engraved:  ..In  remembrance  of 
the  visit  of  His  Imperial  Highness,  the  Tsesarevich." 

Hence  the  line  resumes  its  descent  to  the  Little  L'ria,  spanning  it  by  an 
iron  bridge  with  an  opening  of  20  sazhens;  further  on,  it  crosses  the  Great 
l'ria  by  an  iron  bridge  of  25  sazhens  and,  entering  the  level  valley  of  the 
Ivan,  follows  this  river  to  the  station  of  Kansk. 

The  recent  opening  of  tratTic  on  the  Midsiberain  railway  makes  it  im- 
possible to  ascertain  the  commercial  importance  of  the  stations  between  the 
Yenisei  and  Kansk,  lying  at  a  distance  of  2(X)  versts.  None  of  these  stations 
was  distinguished  by  an  important  export  of  local  .goods.  However,  it  is  evid- 
ent that  the  agricultural  district,  which  is  now  cultivated  by  the  population 
formerly  engaged  in  the  conveyance  of  goods  by  road  and  in  other  industries 
and  colonisation,  will  furnish  a  considerable  quantity  of  goods  for  railway 
transport. 

.33)  Kansk.  Ill  class  station  (941  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2,273  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  It  is  situated  near  the  district  town  of  Kansk  in  the  Yeniseisk 
.government.  There  is  a  medical  and  feedin.g  station,  for  the  registration  and 
accomodation  of  settlers  bound  for  the  Kansk  district,  where  lands  are  allotted 
for  a  p(jpulatIon  of  40.iK)0.  It  is  also  the  residence  of  an  official  entrusted 
with  the  regulation  of  the  emigration  movement. 

The  town  of  Kansk  stands  on  the  left  bank  of  th(>  river  Kan,  which  is 
not  navigable,  and  on  the  great  Siberian  highway,  (.56°10'X.  lat.,  23^20'E. 
long.;  pop.  7.504;  4,482  males.  3.022  femalesi.  In  1601.  a  stockaded  post  was 
founded  on  this  site,  which  afterwards  was  transformed  into  a  settlement.  In 
1823.  it  ranked  among  the  towns  of  the  Yeniseisk  government.  The  town  is 
situated  on  a  level  spot,  which  is  often  overflowed  by  the  spring  waters  of 
the  Kan.  It  contains  534  houses,  of  which  only  two  are  nf  stone,  the  others 
being  of  wood  and  of  one  storey. 

There  are  two  stone  churches,  one  a  cathedral  in  hniinur  nf  dur  Saviour,  the 
other  standing  in  the  cemetery;  a  third,    which  wa.s    attached  tn  the  prison, 


I 


THK  MIDSIRERIAX    HAII.WAY. 


■2\n 


was  liiiriH  linwM  ill  iSi'.s  and  has  iini  \  ci  iici'ii  n'luiili:  ami  a  Jewish  synag- 
ogue. Ttie  scho<ils  are  three  in  niiml)er:  a  school  with  two  classes  for  hoys. 
and  two  [uihllc  schools  with  one  class  for  boys  and  gii-ls.  In  IH97.  the  Society 
for  the  Promotion  of  Elementary  Education  opened  its  operations  and  establish- 
ed a  public  library.  The  principal  occupation  of  the  inhabitants  is  agricul- 
ture, carried  on  over  a  vast  area  belonging  to  the  citizens,  comprising  21.8ai 
desiatins.  Manufactures  and  industry  stand  at  a  very  low  level;  there  are 
2  tallow-hoiliMics.  li  tannerii's  nnd    a    soap  and    2   candle    manufactories.  No 


View  of  the  town  of  Kansk. 


fairs  are  held  in  the  town,  but  only  markets  twice  a  week.  .\  town  bank 
with  a  capital  of  R  S'UiLiii  is  located  in  the  townhall.  The  annual  town  expend- 
iture rises  to  H.  .Jo.OitO.  Since  numerous  lots  of  land  have  been  settled  in 
the  district,  the  town  has  also  imiiroved,  having  become  a  centre  whence 
grain  and  hay  are  exported  by  rail  towards  Irkutsk.  There  has  r<^cnntlv 
ariseu  an  export  of  pressed  hay  to  the  Irkiitsk  government. 

The  visit  of  the  present  Em[)eror  Nicholas  II  to  Kansk  in  ISOl  was  an 
auspicious  event  in  the  history  of  the  town. 

His  Majesty  arrived  at  Kansk  at  K  o'clock  in  the  evenin'-T  on  the  2'.i  June, 
passin.ir  through  a  stone  arch  specially  built  for  His  reception.  Two  chapels 
stand  at  the  two  ends  of  the  arch:  one  is  consecrated  to  Saints  Cosmo  and 
Damian.  the  other  to  St.  Nicholas  the  Miracle-worker.  The  arch  is  surmounted 
by  two  spires,  adorned  by  Imperial  Eagles.  This  handsome  edifice  is  visibb' 
at  a  great  distanci^  from  the  railway  line. 

During  the  year  180s.  the  (luantity  of  grain,  c^cp  >rted  to  the  East  from 
the  region  surrounding  the  station,  amounted  to  227,(JS4  puds,  including 
109,731  puds  of  oats,  79.920  puds  of  wheat  flour  and  2.5,7.30  puds  of  rye  floure. 

Within  2  versts  of  the  station,  lh<'  line  crosses  the  river  Kan  by  abridge 
with  an   opening  of  120  sazhens,  consisting  of  three  spans  of  4o  sazhens  each. 


292 


GUiriE    TO   THIO  cmOAT  .SIBKlilAN    RAII.WW. 


Taishet,  between  tlie  rivers  Kan  ami    Biriisa,    tlie 
if  l')S  verst    thrnujih  an  imniinisi'  ccialfieeil  wliicli 


lino    runs 
is    not  yet 


Prom  Kansiv  t 
for  a  distancr 
worl<ed. 

34)  Ilansk^ya.  IV  class  station  (967  v.  from  ivrivosliriieliovo,  2,22it  v. 
from  Cheliiiliinslo  A  eliurcii  in  lionour  of  St.  Alexander  \evslvy  is  in  pro- 
cess of  i-onstrncti'.n  near  the  station,  at  tho  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alexander 
III  fund. 

The  village  of  Ilanskoye,  ot  llii"  Kansk  district  (pop.  874),  is  situated  close 
by  on  the  Great  Sil)erian  highway  near  the  small  I'iver  Ilanka.  Agriculture 
is  the  chief  pursuit  of  the  inhabitants.  A  chur(di  of  the  Purification  was 
erected  in  1822  by  Count  Speransky,  Governor  General  of  Siberia,  at  the  cost 
of  the  Emperor  Alexander  I.  There  is  a  parish  school. 

Within  2  versts  of  the  station,  the  line  crosses  tlie  i'iver  Ilanka  by  a 
Wooden  brid,a;e  of  l(i  sazhens  and  passes  over  the  watershed  of  the  rivers 
Ilanka  and  Poima,  tributaries  of' the  Biriusa. 

35)  Ingfish.  V  class  station  (994  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2326  v.  from 
Cheliilbinsk).  The  settlement  of  the  same  name  is  situated  at  a  distance  of 
2  versts  on  the  great  Siberian  highway,  in  the  Kansk  district  (pop.  674).  The 
inliabitants  occupy  themselves  mainly  with  a.griculture.  Within  6  versts  of 
the  station,  tht>  line  spans  the  Poima  by  an    iron    bridge   of   25   sazhens   (at 


Bridge  over  the  Kan 


the  IfKid  V.I  and  further  on,  running  alon.t;-  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Poima 
and  Tina,  crosses  the  latter  near  the  station  of  Tinskaya  by  a  wooden  bridge 
of  24  sazhens. 


t 

4-r 

1, 


THK  MIOSIBERIAX    RAILWAY.  293 

361  Tinsk^ya.  N'  ihiss  siaticm  (l.uli"  v.  finm  Krivoslu-hekovo,  'i.S'iS  v. 
fr'>in  Cheliiiltiiisk).  Tlio  villairc  of  Tiny  stands  3  versts  from  the  station,  nn 
tin-  Great  Siberian  liiiriiway.  in  the  Kansk  district  (pop.  8()4).  It  contains  a 
church  of  tlie  Presentation,  a  school  with  one  class,  and  a  village  board. 
The  inhabitants  are  principally  engaged  in  agriculture.  Here  a  deputation 
from  the  peasants  offered  a  silver  dish  with  bread  and  salt  to  the  present 
Emperor  Nicholas  II  when,  as  Heir  .Apparent  to  the  throne,  he  traversed 
Siberia  in  1K91. 

Further,  the  line  runs  across  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Tina  and  Resh- 
eta  and.  after  having  crossed  the  latter  at  the  10.8!)  verst  by  a  wooden 
bridge  of  12  sazhens.  ascends  by  maximum  grades  through  a  diflficult  section 
to  tht*  next  watoi-shed  of  the  rivers  Reshety  and  f'heremshanka. 

37i  Kliuchiiiskaya.  V  class  station.  Buffet.  (1(»4!1  v.  from  Krivoshche- 
kovo.  -i-SNl  V.  from  ('lu-li;il)inskl.  The  settlement  of  Kliuchi  of  the  Kansk 
district,  with  a  population  of  ioT  is  situated  2  versts  from  the  Siberian  highway. 
.\griculture  is  the  chief  pursuit  of  the   inhabitants. 

In  1«98,  the  quantity  of  grain  conveyed  from  this  station  to  the  East, 
mainly  to  Tulun,  was  169,49.5  puds,  including  160.488  puds  of  wheat  Hour.  Leav- 
ing the  station  of  Kliucliinskaya  situated  at  a  high  point  of  the  watershed,  the 
line,  for  a  distance  of  I,')  versts,  runs  along  the  broken  summit  of  the  watershed 
and  crossing  the  river  Cheremshanka  at  the  1,066  verst  by  a  wooden  bridge 
of  9  sazhens,  passes  over  the  steep  watershed  and  descends  by  maximum 
grades  to  the  river  Cheremkovka,  spanning  it  near  the  station  of  Yurta  by 
a  wooden  bridge  of  IK  sazhens. 

;^8)  Yilrty.  V  class  station  (loTl  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2.403  v.  from 
i'heli;ibinsk).  The  settlement  PoIovina-CheremkiJvskoe  of  the  Kansk  district 
lies  in  close  proximity  to  the  station,  on  the  Great  Siberian  highway,  (pop. 
470).  The  inhabitants  occupy  themselves  mainly  with  agriculture.  Leaving 
the  station,  the  line  passes  again  over  the  Cheremkovka  by  a  wooden  bridge 
of  I7V4  sazhens,  and  continues  along  the  valley  of  the  Biriiisa,  crossing  the 
latter  at  1,087  versts  from  Krivoshchekovo  by  an  iron  bridge  with  a  opening 
of  160  sazhens,  consisting  of  four  si)ans  of  40  sazhens.  each.  The  river  Biriusa 
ri.ses  in  the  Sayan  chain  and  has  a  total  length  of  about  400  versts:  it  is  cele- 
brated for  the  richness   of  its  gold  mines  occuring  along  its  upper  resiches. 

The  village  of  Kontorskoe  of  the  Kansk  district  (pop.  913)  is  situated 
within  r>  versts  of  thi'  railway,  on  the  Biriusa  and  the  (Jreat  Siberian  highway 
on  the  frontier  of  tho  li-kiitsk  government.  The  village  contains  a  church  of 
St.  Nicholas,  a  school  and  several  shops.  On  the  29  .June,  isni.  His  Imperial 
Majesty  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II.  halted  here  and  visited  the  church  and 
made  a  donation  of  R.  1(K».  An  inscription  on  a  bronze  plate  fitted  to  the 
church  wall  remains  as  a  memorial  of  this  visit. 

Passing  the  Biriusa,  the  line  runs  over  the  small  watershed  of  the  rivers 
Biriusa  and  Taishet,  and  spans  the  latter  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  1.5  sazhens. 

39)  Taishet.  Ill  class  station.  Buffet.  (1.099  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo. 
2.431  v.  from  Cheliiibinsk).  There  is  a  medical  and  feeding  station  close  by. 
for  the  registration  of  the  emigrants  and  their  distribution  in  the  lands 
allotted  for  colonisation  in  the  western  part  of  the  Nizhneiidinsk  district. 

Within  10  versts  of  the  station,  the  villairc  of  Biriusa,  of  the  Nizhne- 
iidinsk district  and  Irkutsk  government,  with  a  population  of  l.tiOO,  stands  on 
the  Siberian  highway.  The  village  possesses  a  wooden  church  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,  and  a  two-class  school.  The  population  which,  prior  to  the  construction  of 


294  UUIDK  Til    THE  GRKAT  SIHERIA.N   UAI1,\\  AY. 

thf  railway,  ot-cupicd  itspll'witli  tlii' caiTiage  of  goods  by  road,  is  iinw  i'n,:ra?ri'd 
in  agrirultiire.  Tiio  wholo  distance  from  Taishet  to  Xizhneudinsk,  comprising 
the  watersiied  of  tiie  Biriiisa  and  Uda,  with  a  length  of  l')U  versts,  is  cnvered 
with  laiga.  The  jtopulation  is  principally  collected  in  the  lands  liiu'derin'i'  upon 
the  highway;  agriculture  is  yet  undeveloped. 

From  here,  the  line  resumes  its  course  alon.g  the  watershed,  descending 
slightly  to  the  river  Okulshet  and  crossing  it  by  a  wooden  bridire  of  22  sa- 
zhens.  Leaving  the  watershed,  the  line  descends  by  maximum  irrades  towards 
the  Haii'iinnvka  and  jiasses  over  it  by  a  wooden  bridge. 

401  Bairondvka.  V  class  station  (1,119  v. from  Krivoshchekovo,  2.4:")1  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk).  Within  1.5  versts  of  the  station,  is  the  village  of  Bairon- 
ovskoe,  in  the  Xizhneudinsk  district  (pop.  900);  it  is  situated  on  both  sides 
of  the  Baironovka  near  the  (iroat  Siberian  highwa,\.  The  village  has  a  wooden 
church  in  honour  of  the  .\rchangel  Michael,  and  a  parisli  .school  The  inhabit- 
ants are  engaged  iu  agric,ulture  and  trapping. 

41 )  Razgrbn.  V^  class  station  (1.146  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2,47(5  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  Is  situated  within  in  versts  of  the  settlement  of  Razgonnne 
with  a  population  of50. 

Hence,  the  line  proceeds  by  ma.\imum  grades  towards  the  Mokhovaya. 
spanning  this  river  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  14  sazhens  (1.1.57  v.).  Further  on.  it 
crosses  the  Alzamai  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  12  sazhens. 

42)  Alzamai.  V  class  station  (1,165  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  269  v.  friun 
Cheliabinsk).  The  village  of  Alzamai,  in  the  Xizhneudinsk  district  (pop.  840) 
stands  in  the  vicinity,  near  the  river  of  the  same  name,  on  the  Silierian 
highway.  The  village  contains  a  wooden  church  in  honour  of  St  Innocent  of 
Irkutsk,  a  school  with  one  class,  a  village  board  and  a  hospital  with  5  beds, 
and  is  the  residence  of  a  doctor.  The  inhabitants  occupy  themselves  with 
agriculture  and  also  with  hunting. 

From  the  station  of  Alzamai  to  Zamzor.  the  line  I'uns  through  a  level 
country,  traversing  the  rivers  Kosoi-Crorod  at  the  1.176  verst,  and  .\lgashei 
at  the  1,182  verst,  by  bridges  of  20  and  10  sazhens. 

4.S)  ZamzcSr.  V  class  station.  Bufiet.  (1,184  v.  fn mi  Krivoshchekovo,  2„5 16  \. 
from  Cheliabinsk).  The  settlement  of  Zamztir  in  the  Xizhneudinsk  district 
(()op.  225)  stands  next  the  station,  situated  in  proximity  to  the  district  town 
of  Xizhneiidinsk  in  the  Irkutsk  government  1 54^55'  X.  lat..  68^50'E.  long,  i 
standin.g  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ud.i  and  the  Great  Siberian  hi.ghway.  .\ 
stockaded  post  named  Udinskaya  was  built  in  1664  on  the  site  of  the  i)resent 
town.  In  1783,  it  was  converted  into  the  town  of  Xizhneudinsk.  The  town  is 
picturesquely  situated,  surrounded  by  rocky  mountains,  formin.sr  the  continua- 
tion of  the  Sayan  ridge;  the  navigable  river  I'da,  with  a  breadth  of  2no  sazh- 
ens, flows  through  the  town.  The  census  of  1897  shewed  a  population  of 
5,8o;3  (.^,.'555  males,  2,448  females).  There  are  two  stone  churches;  the  cathe- 
dral of  the  Ascension  and  the  church  of  the  Resurrection,  and  a. lewish  prayer- 
house.  Schools;  town  school  with  two  classes,  the  parish  Michael  school 
with  one  class,  i)roi)aratory  gymnasium  for  girls  with  threi^  classes,  parish 
school. 

The  town  coutains  570  houses;  the  luiildiugs  are  mainly  wooden.  TheiT 
are  about  60  trading  firms.  The  market  held  every  day  is  supplied 
with  agricultural  produce.  The  town  revenue  amounts  to  R.  25,000— 27 ,iK)0 
annually,  .\griculture  is  the  principal  industry  of  the  population.  There  are 
no  factories  and  no  important  firms.  I'pon  the  whole,    the    town    pi'oo;rc»sses 


THE  MIDSIBKKIAN    KAIl.W AY. 


295 


vory  slowiv:  according  to  the  latest  statistics,  its  iioimlation  fell  to 4,500 since 
the  opening  of  trafTic  on  the  Siberian  Kailway. 

In  1S91.  the  town  was  visited  by  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  Eini)eror  Ni- 
cholas II,  then  Heir  Apparent  to  the  throne.  The  inhabitants  of  the  town 
erected  a  triumphal  arch  for  the  reception  of  the  Imperial  traveller,  which 
exists  to  the  present  day.  As  a  memorial  of  this  historical  event,  prayers  for 
the  precious  health  of  the  Emi>eror  are  pronounced  every  year  near  the  arch 
on  the  27  .lul.\. 

The  river  Uda,  on  which  the  town  stands,  takes  its  rise  in  the  south- 
western part  of  the  Xizhneudinsk  district,  on  the  ridge  of  Yerik-Targak-Taiga: 
it  has  a  sand.\  and  rocky  bottom  and  a  swift  current.  It  is  navigal)le  from 
Xizhneudinsk  and  its  valle\-  contains  minerals.  \i  distances  of  18  and  loti 
versts  above  Xizhneudinsk,  its  banks  contain  lar.se  caves.  Ten  versts  beyond 
the  town,  the  river  flows  through  a  narrow,  gorge-like  valley  where  it  receives 
on  the  left  the  small  river  Uk.  forming  12  cataracts  from  its  headwaters 
to  its  mouth,  where  it  falls  into  the  Uda.  The  first  two  cascades  fall  from  a 
height  of  2  sazhens,  near  a  small  river  of  the  same  name,  on  the  Siberian 
hiirhway.  There  is  a  school  with  one  class. 

Further  on.  the  line  runs  through    a  level   country  with  a  slight  ascent. 
.\.t  the  1,188  verst,  it  passes  over  the  Zamzi'ir  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  26  sazhens, 
at  the   1,196  verst.   it    crosses    the 
river  Martynovka  and,  approachinir 
the  next  station,  spans  the  Kamyshi'-t 
by  a  wooden  bridge  of    14   sazhens. 

44t  Kamyshet.  TV  class  .sta- 
tion. HutTet.  (120.5  v.  from  Krivosh- 
chekovo.  2..'>.H7  v.  from  Cheliabinskl 
.\'ear  the  station,  on  the  .great  Sibe- 
rian highway,  is  the  settlement  of 
Kamyshelskoe.  with  a  population  of 
2iO  and  a  cementworks,  belongin.s 
to  a  Russo-Dutch  joint  stock  compa- 
ny, built  in  1K9.5  and  mm. 

Local  limi\  marl  and  day.  l)urn- 
ed  with  charcoal  are  employed  for 
the  production  of  cement.  The  works 
is  provided  with  a  chemical  and 
mechani<'al  laboratory,  four  locomo- 
biles of  160  H.  P.,  a  dynamo  engine 
for  electric  lighting  and  a  machinery 
and  cooper's  shop.  The  produce  of 
two  furnaces  on  the  Liban  system 
amounts  to  4,5,000  liarrels  annually, 
and  could  be  doul>led. 

The  cement  has  been  tested 
in  the  laboratory  of  the  Institute  for  Railway  Kngincers  and  declared  to  be  gncid. 

Leaving  the  station  of  Kamyshet,  the  line  crosses  the  rivers  Beriozovaya 
and  Kiimennaya  by  bridges  of  12  and  10  sazhens  each  and,  by  maximum 
grades  of  0.1.5,  reaches  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Beriozovaya  and  Mara. 

45)  Uk.  V  class  station.  (1.222  v.  from  Krivoshchi-kovo,  2,5,54  v.  from 
Cheliabinski.  The  village  of  Uk,  in  the  .Xizhneiidinsk  district  (pop.  0(X1)  stands 

19a 


nit   ol   [rif:    uda 


296 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


on  thp  Silii'riaii  hi.i;li\va,\ .  near  tho  river  L'k.  Thcri'  is  a  wnodi'ii  riuircli  nf 
St.  George  the  Victorious.  Iniilt  in  189.T.  and  a  parisii  school.  Tlio  population 
gets  its  livelihood  by  agriculture.  Within  a  verst  and  a  half  of  the  station, 
the  line  traverses  the  Uk  by  a  bridge  of  10  sazhons.  Further  on,  it  ascends 
a  lovif  watershed  and  passing  over  its  summit  descends  by  maximum  grades 
of  0.15  to  the  valley  of  the  river  Mara,  crossing  the  latter  by  a  stone  bridge 
of  20  sazhens  (1,236  v.)  Spanning  the  river  Kuriat  at  the  1,341  verst.  by  a 
wooden  liridge  of  8  sazhens.  the  line  runs  through  a  level  country  and  reach- 
es the  station  of  Xizhneudinskaya. 

46)  Nizhneildinskaya.  Ill 
class  station.  Burtet.  (1248  v.  from 
Krivoshchekovo,  2580  v.  from  Che- 
liabinsk).  The  total  height  of  the 
waterfall  is  15  sazhens  and  its 
breadth  20  sazhens. 

The  traffic  to  the  East  having 
been  only  recently  oi^ened.  it  is  im- 
possible to  ascertain  the  com merciai 
operations  of  the  station,  but  it  may 
be  considered  as  certain  that  the 
pro,gressive  colonisation  of  the  taig4 
and  the  influence  of  the  railway  will 
contribute  to  the  development  of 
agriculture  in  the  Nizhneiidin.sk 
district,  although  the  condition.s  of 
the  soil  are  less  favourable  than 
in  that  of  Kansk. 

From  Nizhneudinsk  onwards, 
the  country  is  more  level,  stretch- 
ing to  the  station  of  Zima  for  a  di- 
stance of  240  versts.  The  grades 
occurring  on  this  section  of  the  rail- 
way' are  .009,  and  the  curves  ha\e  a 
radius  of  2.50  sazhens. 
Between  the  station  of  .Xizhneudinskaya  and  that  of  Khingiii.  the  line 
first  crosses  the  small  watershed  of  the  rivers  Kuriat  and  Uda  and  then  rises 
to  the  station  of  Khingi'ii.  In  the  valley  of  the  Uda,  there  are  three  engineer- 
ing works:  a  stone  bridge  of  12  sazhens,  at  the  1254  verst,  spanning  the  riv- 
er Rubakhina:  an  iron  bridge  over  the  Uda  at  the  1255  verst,  having  an 
opening  of  Iso  sazhens  with  two  spans  of  40  sazhens  and  two  of  .50  sazhens; 
and  a  wooden  bridge  of  12  sazhens  at  the  1257  verst. 

47,  Khing-ili.  V  class  station  (1270  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo.  2612  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  The  village  of  Khingui  is  5  versts  from  the  station  and  is  sit- 
uated on  the  Sil)erian  highway,  in  the  Xizhneiidinsk  district  (pop.  40i)).  It 
contains  a  wooden  chm-cdi  and  a  reading  school. 

48)  Khudoyel^n.  V  class  station.  Buffet.  (1292  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo, 
2658  from  L'hellablusk).  The  village  of  Khudoyehinskoe,  in  the  Xizhneiidlnsk 
district,  stands  close  by  on  the  Siberian  highway,  {\m\\  500).  It  has  a  wooden 
church  In  honour  of  St   .Xicholas  (he  Mirade-workei',  and  a  parish  school. 

49|  Kurzdn.  V  class  station  (1.326  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo.  26.58  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  \l  a  distance  of  8  versts,  the  vlllau;e  of  Traktovo-Kiirzanskoe.  in 


Waterfall  on  the  river  Uk, 


THE  MIDSIBERIAX    K  VILWAY.  297 

till'  Nizlineudinsk  district  (pop.  370)  is  situated  on  the  Siberian  highway.  Tiie 
\ill;ii;o  possesses  a  wooden  chiu'cli  and  a  school  with  one  class. 

Hence  the  line  descends  tu  the  river  Saur.  spanning  it  at  the  133.5  verst 
liy  a  wooden  bridge  of  IS  sazhens  and  further,  having  passed  over  the  summit 
■  if  a  low  watershed,  descends  from  the  13.54  verst  to  the  Kurzan,  crossing 
this  river  by  a  wooden  bridge  with  an  opening  ot  .30  sazhens.  The  station  of 
Tuli'in  stands  within  three  versts  of  the  bridge. 

.')(!)  Tuliin.  Ill  class  station.  Buffet.  (l.i.")7  v.  fivmi  Krivoshchekovo.  2t).S,s  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk). 

There  is  a  medical  and  feeding  station  near  tlie  railway  for  the  registra- 
tion and  distribution  of  the  emigrants  in  the  localities  allotted  for  colonisa- 
tion in  the  Xizhneudinsk  district.  It  is  also  the  residence  of  an  official  en- 
trusted with  the  regulation  of  the  emigration  movement. 

Tlie  large  trading  village  of  Tulunovskoe,  in  the  XizhneLidinsk  district, 
is  situated  at  a  distance  of  four  versts,  on  the  Great  Siberian  highway,  near 
the  small  stream  Tulunchik  and  the  river  Uya;  it  numbers  660  houses  and  a 
population  exceeding  5,()ai.  The  village  contains  a  wooden  church  in  honour 
of  the  Intercession  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  a  school  with  two  classes  for  boys 
and  one  with  one  class  for  girls;  a  poorhouse  founded  out  of  the  fund  of  the 
church  patronage,  a  reception  room  for  outpatients,  a  chemist's  shop,  a  tire 
brigade  and  a  village  board.  The  inhabitants  occupy  themselves  with  agricul- 
ture, carriage  of  goods  by  road  and  trade.  There  are  over  70  trading  firms 
in  the  willage  with  a  yearly  business  exceeding  R.  3,000.000.  The  opening 
of  traffic  on  the  Siberian  main  line  has  .brought  a  great  change  in  the 
modes  of  trade,  as  practised  for  some  hundred  years  |)ast.  and  delivered  the 
small  trading  centres  from  their  former  dependence  on  the  large  towns  ami 
the  leading  firms,  contributing  also  to  the  development  of  the  commercial 
operations  ofthis  village.  At  present,  the  village  of  Tulunovskoe  constitutes  an 
important  centre  of  trade  and  export,  whence  various  goods,  avoiding  Irkutsk, 
are  despatched  to  the  Angara  and  further  to  the  landing-stages  on  the  Lena, 
I'st-Kiit  or  Zhigalov  in  order  to  supjil.v  the  demand  of  the  Lena  gold-mining 
industry.  This  route  is  also  taken  by  the  workmen  who,  sometimes  forming 
l)odies  of  about  10,000  men,  go  to  the  gold  mines.  The  fertile  district  within 
range  of  the  railway  supplies  part  of  the  grain  exported  to  Irkutsk.  In  189S. 
upwards  of  is.ooo  puds  of  grain,  mainly  wheat,  were  forwarded  from  here 
to  the  East. 

In  -June,  IS91,  the  village  of  Tulunovskoe  was  honoured  by  the  visit  of 
His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  present  Elmperor  Nicholas  11.  .\  triumphal  arch, 
which  was  erected  for  the  reception  of  the  Imperi.d  traveller,  remains  as  a 
memorial  of  this  visit. 

From  the  station  of  Tulun.  standing  on  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Kur- 
zan and  I'ya.  the  line  approaches  the  latter,  crossing  it  by  an  iron  bridge  of 
8t)  sazhens  with  two  spans  of  40  sazhens  each.  ( I.3ti3  v.).  The  river  Uya  or 
lya,  tributary  of  the  Oka,  falling  into  the  Angara,  has  a  total  length  of  600 
versts;  it  is  available  for  rafts  and  flows  through  a  narrow  and  wooded  val- 
ley; mineral  springs  occur  along  its  upper  waters  on  the  northern  slopes  of 
the  Say;in  mountains. 

51)  Az^l.  V  class  station.  (137(i  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  270R  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  Leaving  this  station,  the  line  runs  through  a  level  country, 
traversing  two  small  wooden  bridges  of  10  sazhens  each  (1.382  v.  and  1.386  v.). 

52)  Sherag-131.  V  class  station.  (1.396   v.    from    Krivoshchekovo.   2782   v. 


298 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SfflERIAN  RAILWAY. 


IVdiii  ('li('li:iliiiiski.  'Pill'  villaii't'  of  Slioran'ul  is  situatod  in  tile  .Xizluiomiinslx 
(iistiMcl,  within  6  vorsis  of  the  station,  on  tlio  (ireat  Sihcrian  higliway.  It 
numbers  .-520  liouses  and  a  population  of  1,800.  The  village  pos.sesses  a  wooden 
church  of  the  Ai'chistrate.iius  Michael,  a  schodl  with  one  class  and  a  i)ai-ish 
school.  A.griculture  is  the  chief  industry  of  the  inhabitants.  In  June,  1891,  His 
lnii)erial  Majesty,  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II,  on  His  way  from  the  Far 
East,  passed  the  night  in  the  house  of  the  merchant  Cheremnykh  which,  in 
ciimmemoration  fif  this  visit,  was  given  by  its  owner  for  the  establishnient 
of  a  parish  school  under  tbe  control  of  the  Ministry  of  Public  Education. 

Hence  the  line  rises  to  a  low  watershed,  and  then  descends  to  the  stream 
III,  crossin.g  it  at  the  1407  verst  l)y  a  wonden  l)rid,ge  with  an  opening  of  (i 
sazhens  and  an  altitude  of  5  sazhens.  After  having  reached  the  watershed, 
the  line  proceeds  to  the  next  station. 

.'iHl  Kuitiin.  V  class  station.  Buffet.  (1431  v.  from  Krivoshcliekovo,  2703  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk). 

The  village  of  Kuittin,  in  tlie  Nizhneudinsk  district,  is  at  a  distance  of  3 
versts,  on  the  Great  Siberian  highway;  it  contains  320  houses  and  a  popula- 
tion of  2,350.  The  villa.gc  received  its  name  from  cold  springs  called  „Kuitiin". 
which  intheBuriat  language  means  „cold".  It  has  a  church  in  honour  of  thr 
Prophet  Ellas,  a  parish  school  with  two  classes  and  a  village  board.  Its  inhab- 
itants are  engaged  in  agriculture.  Hence  the  line  proceeds  along  the  summit 
of  the  watershed  and,  having  traversed  half  of  the  distance  to  the  next  sta- 
tion, descends  to  the  I'iver  Kimiltei. 

54)  Kimiltei.  (14(31  v.  from  Krivoshcliekovo,  2793  v.  from  Cheliabinsk). 
The  large  trading  village  of  Kimiltei  of  the  Xizhneiidinsk  district,  lies  at  a 
distance  of  10  versts  from  the  station  (houses  455;  pop.  3,300).  It  contains  a 
large  stone  church  of  line  architecture  in  honour  of  St.  Nicholas  the  Miracle- 
worker,  a  Jewish  prayer-house,  a  school  with  two  classes  and  parallel  divi- 
sions, a  i)arish  school  and  village  board.  The  population  carries  on  trade  and 
agriculture. 

Within  2  versts  of  the  station,  the  line  crosses  the  Kimiltei  by  a  wooden 
bridge  of  20  sazhens,  and  further  ascends  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Kimil- 
ti'i  and  Oka,  having  an  altitude  of  3(i  sazhens.  Leaving  the  watershed,  the 
line  reaches  the  station  of  Ziimr.  whence  it  runs  through  mountainous  districts. 

.').'))  Zimd.  Ill  class  station.  Hufl'et.  (14S7  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2819  v. 
fi'oni  Cheliabinsk).  Near  the  station  a  wooden  church  was  built   at   the   cost   |l 
of  the  Emperor  .\Iexander  III  fund  in  honour  of  St.    Theodor  Tiron,  and  con- 
secrated on  the  14  May,  189s. 

Within  5  versts  of  the  station,  is  the  lar.ge  tradin.g  village  of  Zinu'nskne 
■  situated  at  the  Junction  of  the  rivers  Zima  and  Oka,  on  the  .great  Sil)erian 
highway;  it  belongs  to  the  Halagansk  district  and  has  4(34  houses  and  a  jiopu- 
lation  of  2,8(30.  It  contains  a  church,  a  parish  school  with  one  class,  a  reading 
school  for  girls,  a  poorhouse  and  village  board.  The  inhabitants  are  mainly 
engaged  in  agriculture.  Among  them  there  are  about  000  sectarians,  the  des- 
cendants of  those  who  w'ere  exiled  to  this  place  on  account  of  their  religion 
at  the  beginning  i)f  the  XIX  century.  (3n  the  2(3  June,  1891,  the  village  was 
honoured  by  the  visit  of  the  present  Ein])eror  Nicholas  II,  then  Heir  Apparent  to 
the  throne,  on  his  way  from  the  Far  East.  An  exhibition  of  agricultural  and 
other  products  of  the  Balagansk  district  was  organised  for  the  arrival  of  His 
Majesty.  .\  deputation  from  the  local  peasants  ofl'ered  His  Majesty  a  folded 
ima.ge.  representing  the  Holy  Virgin  and  the  Saints    Inuocimt    and    Nicholas 


THE  MIDSIBERIAN    RAILWAY.  "299 

ihe  Mirade-work.M-.  Another  lU'piitation  from  ilic  local  Biiriats  present-nl  lo 
tho  Eiiiiieror  a  inoilel  of  a  Huriat  yurta.  cast  in  silv(>r. 

Within  3  vorsts  of  the  station,  the  line  crosses  the  river  Oka  by  an  iron 
hridge  of  220  sa/.hens  with  two  s|ians  of  50  sazhens  and  three  of  40  sazliens  eacli. 

The  river  Oka.  which  is  a  tributary  of  the  Angara,  has  a  total  length  ol 
Tro  versts;  its  current  is  very  rapid,  especially  at  its  soiirce.  From  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Ziniii,  the  river  is  fit  for  raftinii.  becoming  navigable  only  with- 
in 40  versts  of  its  mouth.  The  basin  of  this  river  is  richb  provided  with 
coal  beds,  which  have  been  explored  by  the  mininsr  Engineers  Obruchev  and 
Hogdanovich.  The  .luality  and  the  formation  of  the  coal  is  the  same  as  in 
the  Moscow  basin.  According  to  the  investigations  of  Bogdanovich,  the  atten- 
tion <if  proniotors  should  be  drawn  to  deposits  of  alum  copperas.  Iron  copper- 
as protrudes  through  seams  of  clay.  The  local  inhabitants  noticed  long  ago 
that  thi'  water  possessed  the  property  of  hlackeninsi-  tanned  skins.  Durins  the 
last  epidemic  of  cholera,  cojiperas  earth  was  used  for  disinfecting.  .Manx 
among  the  population  living  along  this  river  suflfer  from  goitre. 

Down  the  river  Oka.  at  the  sjiot  where  it  is  crossed  by  the  railway  line, 
near  the  villairo  of  Burhiksk,  are  ^painted  stones"  or  cliffs  standing  on  the 
liank  adorned  with  numerous  designs  of  riders,  horses  and  cattle.  Here  are 
also  situated  famous  grindstone  quarries.  From  the  rivei-  Oka  onwards,  the 
country  assumes  a  more  broken  surface,  retaining  this  character  for  a  di- 
stance of  i:iS  versts.  to  the  station  of  Polovina.  Here,  the  line  is  constructed 
according  to  specifications  used  in  mountainous  sections.  Beginning  its  ascent 
from  the  valley  of  the  Oka.  the  line  passes  vover  the  high  watershed  of  the 
rivers  Oka  and  TyrtH  and.  after  having  crossed  the  latter  by  a  wooden  bridge 
of  10  sazhens  (I.tI.t  v.),  rises  to  the  high  watershed  of  the  rivers  Tyret  and  Inua. 

56)  Tyr6t.  V  class  station.  Butl'et.  (1518  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2H40  v. 
from  Cheliiibinsk).  The  large  village  of  Tyret.  in  the  Balagansk  district,  is 
situiited  within  ^  versts  of  the  station,  on  the  Siberian  highway  (houses  isii. 

pop.  St>0(. 

Formerly  this  village  belonged  to  the  Huriat  native  board  of  the  Hala- 
;.'iinsk  district,  which  consisted  of  24  families,  forming  a  population  of  IT.oiK) 
distributed  in  1.50  villages  throughout  the  territory  between  the  rivere  Ok:i 
and  Zaiareya.  covering  a  superficial  area  of  070,000  desiatins.  Since  1898,  the 
village  of  Tyr«-t.  permanently  settled  by  Christian  Burials,  has  been  subjected 
to  the  administrative  rules  jrenerally  adopted  for  peasants.  There  is  a  small 
wooden  chinrh  and  a  parish  school. 

On  the  26  June.  1891,  the  village  was  honoured  by  the  visit  of  His  Im- 
perial Majesty,  the  present  Kmperor  Nicholas  II.  His  .Majesty  was  greeted  by 
the  priest  of  the  missionary  cliurcb  with  imaires  and  holy  banners:  after 
havint:  visited  the  church,  where  sang  a  chorus  of  jiupils  from  the  Tyret 
native  mi,«sionary  school.  His  Majesty  nuide  a  donation  of  K.  liKt  fr)r  the 
i-hurch  and  R.  200  for  the  teacher  of  the  missionary  .school. 

From  the  station  of  Tyret,  the  line  descends  by  a  steep  grade  to  the 
Ingii,  spanning  this  river  at  the  152.3  verst  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  25  sazhens. 
and  further  on  rises  to  the  hisrh  watershed  of  the  rivers  Un;ra  andSheragiil, 
which  is  intersected  by  ravines.  Leaving  its  summit,  the  line  cros.ses  the 
Sheragiil  (1.536  v.i  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  8  sazhens  and.  passing  again  over 
the  low  watershed  of  the  rivers  Sheragiil  and  Zalari.  on  its  way  down  w.anls 
reaches  the  station  of  Zalari. 

57)  Zalari.  V  class  station.  Buffet.  (Xry-V)  v.  from  Krivosju-h.-kovr).  2-^72  v. 


300  GrlDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBEKIAN    RAII^WAY. 

from  Cheliiibinsk).  The  trading  village  of  Zalarinskoc  is  near  the  station,  on 
tlie  river  Zalari  and  the  great  Siberian  highway  (hiuises  'iKH.  pop.  Ki'iO);  it 
belongs  to  the  Balagansk  district.  The  village  contain.s  a  small  Ijiit  ancient 
churcli  of  St.  Xicholas  the  Miracle-worker,  pai'ish  schools  with  one  class  for 
boys  and  girls,  a  reading  school  built  at  tiie  cost  of  the  Irkutsk  Diocesan 
Teaching  Council,  and  a  village  board.  On  the2.T  June,  1891,  His  Imi)erial  Maje- 
sty, the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II  passed  the  ni.ght  in  this  village.  Within 
two  versts  of  the  station,  the  line  runs  over  the  river  Zalari  by  a  wooden  bridge 
of  .SO  sazhens.  and  ascends  to  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Zalari  and  Kutulik. 

58)  Golovtnskaya.  V  class  station,  (lotio  v.  from  Ki'ivosiichi'kovo,  2892  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk).  The  village  of  Golovinskoe  i.s  situated  within  3  versts  of 
the  station  (houses  31;  po|).  172),  on  the  Great  Siberian  hi.ghway,  in  the  Ha- 
lagansk  district  The  population  consists  of  former  Cossacks  of  the  Balagansk 
district.  The  village  contains  a  chapel. 

From  here,  the  line  gradually  descends  to  the  river  Kutulik:  coal  l>eds 
occur  throughout  its  entire  course. 

.59)  Kutulik.  V  class  station.  (1580  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  2912  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  The  trading  village  of  Kutulikskoe  in  the  Balagansk  district 
(houses  276,  i)op.  1996)  lies  within  6  versts  of  the  station,  on  the  great  Sibe- 
rian highway,  near  the  river  Kutulik.  It  possesses  a  wooden  church  of  John 
the  Baptist,  three  parish  schools,  a  school  for  boys  with  one  class,  one  for 
girls  with  one  class,  and  a  second  class  school  for  parish  school  teachers 
with  one  class.  Carpentry  and  turnery  workshops  are  attached  to  the  schools. 
The  chief  industries  of  the  population  are  agriculture  and  farming.  Many  of 
the  inhabitants  are  afflicted  with  goitre. 

\\'ithin  3  versts  of  the  station,  the  line  spans  the  Kutulik  by  a  bridge 
of  10  sazhens  and,  further  on,  the  Nota  by  a  short  wooden  bridge,  on  its 
way  to  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Nota  and  Cheremkovka. 

60)  Cheremk(5vo.  V  class  station.  Buffet.  (1601  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo, 
2933  V.  from  (Jheliahinsk).  The  large  trading  village  of  Cheremkovo  is  situa- 
ted in  the  Balagansk  district,  in  proximity  to  the  station,  on  the  great  Sibe- 
rian highway  (houses  349,  pop.  2,276).  It  contains  a  stone  church  of  St.  Nicho- 
las the  Miracle-worker,  a  parish  school  with  two  classes,  a  school  for  girls 
witli  one  class,  and  a  reading  school  attached  to  the  church,  a  village 
board,  dispensary  for  outpatients,  poorhouse,  several  shops  and  stores. 
Markets  are  held  every  day;  a  lively  trade  is  carried  on  in  (October  befoi'e 
the  feast  of  Om-  Lady  of  Kazan.  The  sphere  of  influence  of  the  mai-kets 
extends  to  a  radius  of  about  100  versts. 

As  far  as  concerns  agriculture  and  farming,  this  village  and  the  whole 
volost  of  Cheremkovo  jtlay  an  important  jiart  in  tin*  Irkutsk  government. 

The  land  l)ordering  im  the  railway  line,  allotted  for  tiu^  use  of  the  pea- 
sants and  occupied  by  their  dwellings,  contains  rich  coal  l)eds,  which  are 
very  important  on  account  of  their  position  near  the  railway  line  and  to  the 
basin  of  the  Angara,  the  latter  being  also  plentifully  provided  with  minerals. 

The  coal  beds  are  worked  partly  l)y  Engineer  Markevich,  who  has  attempt- 
ed to  supply  the  Midsilierian  railway  with  mineral  fuel.  The  chemical 
analysis  of  the  coal  shews  the  following  results:  volatile  matters  44.17  (49.24). 
residue  .55.49  (.50.76),  carbon  44.41  (47.72),  ash  ll.ns  (;i.04).  sulpluir  0.42  (O.tii)): 
carbon  65.09   (71.84),  hydrogen  5.65  (6.05). 

"Within  2  versts  of  the  station,  the  line  crosses  the  Cheremkovka  by  a 
wooden  bridge  of  6  sazhens  and   ascends    to    tiie    watershed    of   the    rivers 


THK  MIDSIBERIAN"    RAILWAY. 


301 


Anirani  and  its  tril)iitar.v  tho  Ht-laya:  on  the  watorslu'd  (1(510  v.),  the  line 
traverses  the  frontier  of  the  Balasiansk  and  Irkutsk  district. 

61)  Polovina.  Ill  class  station.  Buffet.  (152.=i  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo. 
294.')  V.  from  Cheliabinsk)  .\  wooden  church  in  honour  ol'  St.  Basil  the  Great 
is  lieini:  huilt  at  the  station  at  tlie  cost  ot"  thi^  Emperor  Alexander  111  fund. 

The  villaire  of  Pnlovinnaya.  in  the  Irkutsk  district,  lies  dose  hy,  on  the 
Great  Siberian  higliway  (houses  .WO). 

Hence  the  line  descends  to  the  Belaya,  left  tributary  of  the  Angara,  and 
crosses  it  by  an  iron  bridire  with  on  oiicnini:  of  VM)  sazhens,  composed  ^of 
four  spans  of  2.')  sazhons  eucli. 

The  country  here  becomes  level,  and  the  specifications  adopted  for  the 
construction  of  the  railway  from  the  station  to  Irkutsk  are  such  as  are  icener- 
ally  used  for  foot-hill  sections. 

On  the  right  hank  of  the  Belaya,  opposite  the  village  of  Maltinskoe  and 
near  the  villages  of  Uzky  Lug  and  Bad;iiska,\a.  occur  seams  'of  fire-clay. 
The  one  found  at  a  dei>th  of  5  to  7  arshins  is  of  a  i)articularly  good  quality, 
being  white  and  greasy  like  pure  kaolin.  The  clay  obtained  Ironi  this  deposit 
resembles  the  best  kinds  of  Belgian  clay  from  the  environs  of  Anden  near 
.Vemours.  As  regards  its  quality,  properties  and  chemical  formation,  the 
crvstalline  kaolin  found  at  Usky  Lug  is  very  much  like  the  well-known  clay 


in  the  Borovichi  district  of  the  .\ovgorod  government.  In  iseii.  the  Iikutsk 
merchant  Perevalov  established  a  china  and  earthenware  manufactory  for 
the  exploitation  of  these  deposits.  At  the  present  time,  the  Khaitin  manufactory 
situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Khaita.  falling  into  the  Belaya,  at  a  distance 
of  1)  versts  from  the  station,  is  under  the  management  of  the  Siberian  Com- 
pany for  the  production  of  china,  earthenware,  glass  and  pottery. 

The  annual  output  of  the  manufactory  amounts  on  an  average  to  a  value 
of  R.  .398.5Tt>. 


302 


GL'IDK     In  THIC  GRKAT  SIBERIAN   UAIl.WAY. 


02)  M^lta.  V  class  stalinii  (1040  v.  Irom  Krivoshchi'kuvo.  297')  v.  froui 
Cheliabinsk).  Near  the  station  stands,  the  large  trading  village  of  Maltinskoe 
in  the  Irkutsk  district,  on  the  great  Siberian  highway  and  cm  the  river 
Belaya.  There  are  a  stone  church  of  tlie  Ascension,  parish  school  with  one 
class,  poorhouse  and  villan-e  bnai-d. 

According  to  information  supplied  by  .Mining  Engineer  tSogdanovieh. 
former  director  of  the  works  of  the  Midsiberian  mining  party,  the  country 
stretcliing  from  the  river  Belaya  towards  Irkutsk  along  the  upjier  i-eaches  of 


Village  of  Telma.  Distillery  and  cloth  manufactory. 


the  Khaila.  Tt?lma  and  the  tributaries  of  the  Kitoi.  presents  a  vast  swampy 
taiga,  which  has  as  yet  been  hardly  explored:  however,  it  may  be  supposed 
that  it  is  plentifully  provided  with  minerals  and  metals.  The  coal-field  com- 
mences in  the  valley  of  the  Maltinka  and  embraces  an  iiniuense  area  nn 
both  sides  of  the  Angara. 

Within  2  versts  of  the  station,  the  line  spans  the  Maltinka  1).\  a  wooden 
bridge  of  6  .sazhens  and.  passing  over  the  watershed,  crosses  tlie  swampy 
I'iver  Skipidarka  or  I'solka  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  0  sazhens;  further  on.  a 
bridge  of  li)  sazhens  spans  the  Telminka.  from  which  the  line  rises  to  a  low 
watershed. 

63)  Telma.  V  class  station.  Buffet.  (1007  v.  from  Kiivoshchekovo,  2!»y3  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk).  The  trading  village  of  Telminskoe  (,pop.  3,00i))  is  situated 
in  proximity  to  the  station,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Angara  at  its  junction 
with  the  Telminkn,  in  the  li-kiitsk  district.  It  contains  a  stone  church  in 
honour  of  Our  Lady  of  Kazan,  a  village  board,  the  .Mexander  school  with  two 
classes,  a  parish  school  for  girls  with  one  class,  a  poorhouse  and  a  dispens- 
ary room  for  outpatients. 

Here  are  the  Telma  cloth  manufactory,  glass-works  and  distilleries, 
belonging  to  Belogolovy.   The  factory  has  existed  since  the  betrinninir  of  the 


THE  MIDSIBKRIAN    RAILWAY. 


3iy.i 


Will  century,  and  formed  first  the  property  of  the  State,  tlien  Iliat  of  tli.- 
Irkutsk  comissariat  and,  only  in  1S62,  became  a  iirivate  concern.  The  manu- 
factory is  supplied  with  wool  from  the  Transbaikal  region,  with  filauber  > 
salt  from  the  Bariruzinsk  lakes,  and  with  ilye.s  from  Russia.  The  annua! 
production  of  cloth  anujunts  to  a  value  of  K.  ,")0,(*00  to  tiO,(tO<). 

A  model  school,  with  two  classes  for  boys  and  girls,  is  attached  to  ili.- 
factory.  Glass  of  various  sizes  from  4  4  to  ti  \24  vershoks.  and  also  otlv-i- 
irlass  wares  are  made  in  the  works. 

The  cloth  manufactory  and  the  iiiass  works,  having  been  in  opi-raii.'i! 
lor  a  period  of  over  I.jO  years,  testify  to  the  fact  that  manufacture  and 
industry  may  be  succesfully  carried  on  in  Siberia. 

Within  7  versts  of  the  village  of  Telma,  down  the  .Vngani,  at  soiu.- 
distance  from  the  Siberian  highway,  lies  the  village  of  Usolie  (pop.  5,00)), 
with  the  famous  State  salterns,  which  give  a  commeirial  importance  to  this 
village.  The  brines  worked  by  means  of  pit-holes  are  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
.\ngara  and  on  the  island  of  Varnichnoe,  where  the  buildings  of  the  work> 
are  situated.  The  annual  output  of  sail  amounts  to  80().0<)0.  The  salt  sprint;- 
ssue  from  deposits  of  lime,  clay  and  calcareous  slates. 


L,  -•       "t^     " 

JL                            ^ 

.,o.o..,.^ 

a 

Monastery  of  tlie  Ascension  (phot,  by  Gavrilov). 


Throughout  the  Telnui  volost  on  the  .Angara  ami  especially  in  I  s^'l:-. 
goitre  is  of  frequent  occurrence. 

From  the  Telma  station,  the  line  reaches  thn  Kitoi  deft  iributai-y  of  ili." 
.Vngara)  by  a  light  grade,  crossing  the  river  by  an  iron  bridge  with  an  o;ii"m- 
inir  of  70  sazhens,  having  a  span  of  40  sazhens.  and  two  smaller  ones  •( 
I.T  sazhens  each.  Further  on,  the  line  ascends  to  the  next  station. 

The   Kitoi  rises  on  spurs  of  the   Sayan    ridge.   The    i-iver   is   24<J   vi-rsts 
long  and  SO  sazhens  wide:  the  current  is  rapid,  being  navigable  only   in  its 
lower  I'eaches.  Throughout  its  course,  its  banks  are  considered  to  be  i-ii  ! 
irold. 


304 


Gl'IDE  Tn  THi:   UHE.VT  SIHKUIAN    UAII.WAY. 


64)  Sukhdvskaya.  V  class  statii)n.  (1691  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo,  3020  v. 
from  Cheliabinsk).  The  village  of  Sukhovskaya  (pop.  300)  is  situated  near 
the  station  on  the  Great  Sibei'ian  high\va\  and  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Angara.  There  are  a  ehurch.  school  and  village  board 

Naphtha  has  been  t'oiind  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  village,  on  the 
bank  of  the  Angara,  amidst  carboniferous  strata  containing  a  large  percentage 
of  hvdrogen. 


Monastery  of  the  Aocenbion.  Reiic^  «:  Si.  iiinut-ent.  hf^t  BtaJiop  ^1  Iikuuk  (phot,    uy  S)iukach£v). 


From  the  station,  the  line  runs  along  a  slope  on  the  left  side  of  the 
Angara,  crossing  its  small  tributaries,  the  Yelovka.  by  a  wooden  bridge  of 
7  sazhens  and  the  Mechetly  one  of  10  sazhens. 

65)  Innokentievskaya.  11!  class  station.  Buffet.  (1715  v.    from  Krivo- 


THE  MIDSmERIAN  RAILWAY. 


305 


>ihflii'k<>vo,  ;^044  V.  tVoni  Cheliabinsk).  The  stntidu  received  its  name  in  hdnoni- 
of  St.   Innocent.  .\iThlii.><hop   of    Irkutsk,    the  lir.st  Miracle-worker   of   Siheria. 

N'ear  the  station,  on  the  left  hank  ofthe  Angai-a.  within  4  versts  of  Irkutsk 
is  situateil  the  St.  Innocent  firat-class  monastery  of  the  Ascension,  created 
in  lt>72  by  licence  of  Cornelius.  Metropolitan  of  Tobolsk,  by  the  monk  Gera- 
sini;  the  first  wooden  church  was  founded  at  the  same  time  in  honour  of  the 
Holy  Imaire  of  Our  Saviour. 

The  monastery  played  an  active  part  in  lin'  civilising  mission  to  the 
Kasi.  In  17'2i>.  a  Russo-Mongolian  school  was  added  to  it.  The  Irkutsk  diocese 
was  created  in  1727,  and  St.  Innocent  appointed  Archbishop. 

f^t.  Innocent  (John  Kulchitsky)  was  born  in  Little  Russia  in  the  govern- 
ment of  Chernigov.  Having  been  arch-monk  in  the  lleet.and  a  student  at  the 
Slavo-Latin  Academy  of  Moscow,  he  was  appointed  Bishop  of  Pereyaslavl  and 
attached  to  the  ecclesiastical  mission  to  Pekin.  in  the  presence  ofthe  Kmperor 
Peter  1.  by  the  Metropolitan  Stephen  Yavorsky,  the  .\rchbishop  Theodosius 
Yanovsky  aud  Theojihanes  Prokopovich.  He  was  named  .Vrchbishop  of  Irktitsk 
on  the  15  January.  1727.  and  died  on  the  27  Xovember,  17.31.  St.  Innocent  was 
buried  under  the  altar  of  the  Tikhvin  church,  in  the  monastery  of  the  Ascen- 
sion His  remains  were  examined  on  the  2!»  -lanuary.  ISOl,  by  the  Bishops 
Benjamin  of  Irkutsk  and  Justin  of  Sviiizii.  and  according  to  an  ukaz  given 
by  the  Synoil  nn  thi>  1  E>eceml)er.  1S()4.  they  were  declared  to  be  lioly:   they 


1 

i 

i 

.  ^ 

i 

m^isam^  ,WT 

— 

^ 

^^H^^k.     -4^^^B 

**^^*||^fe"«l«« 

K 

m 

JR5I 

L 

<K  ^^^^9H^^| 

mm 

*'']M^SE^_ 

^r 

■ 

View  of  Irkutsk  (phot,  by  Yastrtmbsky). 


were  transported  and  exhibited  for  the  veneration  of  the  public  on  theWFe- 
bruar.w  \><*^r^.  The  rich  monastery,  which  possesses  six  churches,  including 
tht»  cathedral  of  the  Ascension  and  of  the  .\ssuinption,  contains  a  silver 
shrine  with  the  relics  of  the  first  Miracle-worker  of  Siberia;  it  is  surrounded 
by  a  stone  wall  with  towers  and  is  under  the  control  of  the  Vicar  of  Irktitsk. 
On  the  17  June  l.s7.3.  the  monastery  was  visited  by  his  Imperial  Highness 
the  Grand  Duke  .\lexis  Alexandrovich,  and  on  the  24  June.  1891,  by  the  pre- 


306 


UVmV.   T(i  THK  (JliEAT  SIMKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


sent  iMiipi'i-nr  Xidinlas  II.  then  iU'li-  .\i»|iarcnt  to  the  tlirnnr.  Attended  l>y  his 
suite  and  Bishop  Benjamin.  thi>  Tsesai'i'vich  was  li-i-eeted  at  the  (Milrjinee 
gate  by  the  superior  of  the  monastery  and  the  fratei-nitx  with  ringing  of 
bells  and  ehanting  of  prayers  in  honour  of  St.  Innocent. 

After  having  listened  to  the  singing,  the  Tsesarevieh  knelt  at  lite 
shrine  of  the  Siberian  Saint,  Icissed  the  relics  and  received  the  image  of  St. 
Innocent,  presented  to  him  by  .\gathangelus.  Vicar  of  Irkutsk.  .\l  the  same 
time,  a  deimtation  from  Shaman  Burials  expressed  the  desire  of  2.5<)  men  to 
adopt  the  orthodox  religion  and  to  receive  the  name  of  .Nicholas  in  comme- 
moration of  the  Tsesarevich's  visit  to  Siberia,  which  was  thus  tn  he  preser- 
ved in  the  memory  of  their  descendants.  The  Imiierial  tra\eller 
acceded  to  this  request. 

Ruiining   towards     Irkutsk,  the  line  at  the  17"2(t  versi  crosses 
left  trihutaiw  of  the  .Vngara,  by  a  wooden  bridge  of  12()  sa/.hens. 

From  the  right  bank  of  the  Irkiit,  commences  the  Irkutsk-Baik;il 


grac^iouly 

rkut, 


till 


branch, 


which  belongs  to  the  Transbaikal  railway  line.  Proceeding  from  the  Irkiit  to 
the  left  bank  of  the  Angara,  the  line  reaches  the  suburb  of  Gl,-izkovskoe, 
lyin.g  opposite  Irkutsk. 

66)  Irkutsk.  Buffet.  (1722  v.  from  Krivoshchekovo.  •■iO')2  v.  from  C'heliii- 
binsk).  The  station  is  situated  within  2  versts  of  ths  iron  brid.ge  over  the 
Irki'tt,  in  Glazkovskoe,  the  suburb  of  Irkiitsk,  and  is  connected  with  ilie  tnwn 
by  the  pimtoon  bridge  of  the  Tsesarevich  Nicholas. 

Irkiitsk.  is  a  government  town  and  the  administrative  centre  of  the 
Irkiitsk  region  which,  under  a  Governor-General,  comprises  the  ^'enisinsk  and 
Irkutsk  srovernnients  and  the  Yakutsk  territory. 

The  town  lies  on  the 
right  bank  of  tiie  Angara, 
opi)osite  the  mouth  (d' 
the  Irkiit  (52^17'  X.  lat.. 
124^51.  E.  long.)  at  an 
absolute  height  of  \.m) 
feet,  in  a  dry  and  level 
c-ountr\.  Within  the  li- 
mits of  the  town,  the 
.\ngara  receives  the  ri- 
ver Ushakovka,  which 
separates  the  centr.il 
part  of  the  town  from 
the  suliurb  of  Zn.-inn-n- 
skoe  and  the  suburb 
inhabited  by  the  working 
(dass.  The  suburb  of 
Glazkovskoe  is  on  the 
left  side  of  the  Angara.  The  census  of  1897  shewed  a  total  po|ntlation  i>f 
51,4.S4  (2(j,.Tl7  males,  24,017  females).  As  regards  its  population.  Irkutsk  holds 
the  second  place  throughout  Siberia,  yielding  precedence  only  to  the  town 
of  Tomsk.  The  town  was  founded  in  It3.'i2,  when  the  son  of  a  noble,  Ivan 
Pakhobov  in  order  to  collect  the  yassak,  or  tribute  paid  in  furs  among 
the  BuriAts,  established  an  entrenched  post  provided  with  towers,  stock- 
ades, a  ditch  and  barriers,  which  received  the  name  of  Irkiitsk  from  its 
positi(Ui  on  the  Irkiit.  .\fterwards    it  was  transferred    to  the  bank  of  tin-  .\ii- 


.  Cathedral  of  Our  Lady  of  Kazan. 


THK  IliKUTSK-UAlKAL  liKANCH. 


307 


rkutsk.  Cathedral  of  the  Epiphany. 


garii.  near  the  present  cathedral  and  tlie  Arclibislniii  s  iKuise.  In  1682,  a  spec- 
ial voyi'viPtlstvo  nniler  the  command  cif  a  voycviula  ur  military  chief,  was 
established  in  Irki'itsk  and.  in  Ui8tj,  the  stockaded  post  was  transformed  into 
a  town.  The  nkaz.  regarding  the  organisation  of  the  Irkutsk  government,  was 
published  on  the  14  October.  IVtU  and,  in  178:5,  the  Irkiitsk  vicegerency  was 
formed,  comprising  the  Irkutsk.  Xerchi'nsk.  Transbaikal  andiikhotsk  territories. 

In  is(i:?.  the  whole  of 
.•Liberia  was  sulyected  tc 
the  administration  of  a 
<  iovernor-General.  resid- 
ent at  Irkutsk,  .\mong 
the  holders  of  this  oflM-e 
may  be  mentioned:  Priv\ 
Councillor  Selefontov. 
Privy  (ouncillor  Pestel 
and  M.  M.  Speransky. 
wliir  was  ainpointed  on 
the  22  March.  WW.  and 
filled  the  post  till  1S22. 
I  Hiring  this  period.  Si- 
beria for  purposes  of 
administration  was  di- 
vided into  West  and  Kast 
Siberia.  The  first  Gover- 
nor-General of  Eastern  Siberia  was  Priv.\'  (  oiim-illor  Lavinsk.w  The  history 
of  the  town  and  of  Eastern  Siberia  is  closely  connected  with  the  names  of 
^ach  eminent  administrators  as  Count  M.  X.  Muraviov-Ami'irsky,  under  whose 
nianaaenient  the  .\mi'ir  reirion  was  annexed  to  Russia,  and  Count  A.  P.  Igna- 

tiev.  wiio  contributed  to 
accelerate  the  construc- 
tion ot'the  Siberian  Kail- 
way,  and  applied  him- 
self to  the  study  of  the 
economic  conditions  of 
the  country,  which  re- 
sulted in  most  valuable 
statistical  works  special  ly 
compiled  on  his  initiative. 
In  outward  apfiea- 
rance,  Irkiitsk  is  one  of 
the  finest  and  best  or- 
ganised towns  of  Siberia. 
It  is  supplied  with  tele- 
phones, but  the  streets 
,ire  unpaved  and  badly 
lit.  The  town  i-ontains 
124  streets,  1.5  lanes,  ti 
s.iuaresand2  public  .irardens.  The  total  number  of  buildings  is  12,477.  valued 
at  R.  24.ii.i.5,27.i;  of  them.  1.4.i8  are  of  stone  (value  R.  17.6.'>1.750),  .31  aremade  of 
mixed  material  (value  R.  147.17.5).  10,988  of  wood  (value  R.  7.1.56.3.50).  A  second 
ilass  nunnery  of  the  Miraculous  .Vpparition  of  the  Holy  Virgin  was  founded  in 


Irkutsk.  Govcrnor-Gcnerars  house. 


308 


GOIDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIHKKIAN   KAll.WAY. 


1693.  There  are  two  cathedrals,  one  of  Our  l.aily  ul  Kaz:iii,  the  mher  >i\  the 
Epihhany;29  orthodox  ehurches:  14  parisli  churches  of  stone,  13  hoiise-cliapels. 
one  at  the  cemetery,  one  stone  church  out  of  town,  near  the  Archbishop's 
summer  viUa;  a  Catholic  and  a  Lutheran  chapel,  two  Jewish  synnsio.giies  and 
a  Mohammedan  mosque.  The  best  buildings  of  the  town  are  the  theatre,  rauis- 
eum,  the  Governor-General's  house,  the  Girls'  Institute  of  the  Emperor  Ni- 
cholas I,  Mrs.  Medvednikov's  orphanage,  an  industrial  school,  a  luiblic 
club,  and  Sukachevs  house,  containing  the  court  of  justice  and  the  disti-ici 
tribunal. 

The  educational  institutions  are  4')  in  number:  a  church  seminary,  a 
church  school  for  boys,  commercial,  mechanical  and  technical  school,  seminary 
for  teachers,  elementary  school  attached  to  the  seminary,  mining  school, 
town  school  with  classes,  commercial  aud  educational  school  of  N.  P.  Tra- 
peznikov,  the  institute  for  girls  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas  I.Khaniinov's  gym- 
nasium, for  girls  Mrs.  B'^li;iev'.s    iireparatory    gymnasium    for    girls,    central 

schools  for  women  sur- 
geons' assistants,  Mrs. 
Medvednikov's  orphan- 
age.orplians'  commercial 
school,  military  school, 
military  surgeons'assist- 
ants  school,  prepara- 
tory school  for  the  Si- 
berian Cadet  Corps.  .'> 
parish  schools,  one  in- 
fant school,  15  parish 
schools  for  boys  and  girls 
and  "2  Sunday-schools. 

There  are  14  chai-it- 
able  institutions:  the 
.Mexander  children's 
home.the  chidren's  home 
bearing  the  name  of  the 
Empress  iSIaria  Feudorovna,  the  home  of  the  Charitable  Society,  a  home  for 
convict  children,  a  correctional  and  educational  home  for  boys  and  girls, 
Sihiriakuvs  poorhoLise,  Bazanov's  foundling  home,  the  ]ioorhouse  attached  to 
the  Kuznetsov  Hospital,  the  poorhouse  attached  to  the  Relief  Society  of  the 
Mater  Dolorosa.  Mrs.  Sukachev's  poorhouse,  the  Mary  Sisters  of  Mercy  So- 
ciety, the  Jacob  Alexander  Sisters  of  Mercy  Society,  and  a  ni.ght  shelter. 

There  are  the  following  missionary,  charit  able,  scientific  and  other  societies 
operating  in  accordance  with  their  charters:  Diocesan  committee  of  the  orthd- 
dox  missionary  society,  local  depai'tment  of  the  Russian  f{ed  Cross  Society, 
Relief  Society  of  the  Mater  Dolorosa,  Irkutsk  Roman  Catholic  Relief  Society, 
Relief  Society  for  Poor  Emigrants,  Relief  Society  for  destitute  schoolchildren 
in  Eastern  Siberia,  a  clerks'  mutual  aid  society,  a  liranch  of  the  Relief  Society 
for  the  Blind  under  the  patronage  of  the  Empress  Mary  Alexandrovna,  a  mutual 
aid  society  for  scholars  and  teachers  of  the  Irkutsk  government,  the  East 
Siberian  branch  of  the  Imiterial  Russian  (reographical  Society  opened  in  1851, 
Society  of  Doctors  of  Eastern  Siberia,  a  volunteer  fire  brigade,  a  society  of 
amateur  cyclists,  the  Society  of  Siberian  Sportsmen,  an  amateur's  society  of 
music  and  literature,  a    cooperative  supply  society,    tho  Irkutsk    public    club, 


Irkutsk.  Sukachev's  house,  containing  judicial  institutions. 


THE  IKKl'TSK-BAIKAL  BRANCH. 


309 


Theatre  in  Irkutsk. 


a  military  cliilt,  ami  a  rjcrk.s    uiatual  aid  suciei.x   i-liili.    Musical  classes  wpre 
established  in  is'jst.  tin-  only  oriianisatidii  of  this  kind  throuuhout  Siberia. 

The  town  theatre,  wiiich  is  one  of  finest  iirovineial  theatres  was  liiiilt 
accerdinj;  to  thei)lanof  the  arciiileet  Schroter  at  a  cost  of  R.  294,473.  including 
a  donation  nf  R.  198,151).  The  construction  of  this  building  is  entirely  due  to 
the  Governor-General  .\.  D.  Goreniykin.  who  collected  [irivale  donations  and 
superintended  the  work. 
Among  scientific 
societies,  may  be  ment- 
ioned the  East  Siberian 
branch  of  the  lm|)erial 
Russian  Geographical 
Society,  which  was  the 
first  scientific  society 
in  Siberia  established  in 
1851,  in  the  time  ofCounl 
Muraviov  -  Amursky.  It 
occupies  a  fine  building 
on  the  bank  of  the  \n- 
gani,  and  possesses  an 
extensive  museum  with 
rich  ethnograjthical  and 
archaeological  coUim- 
tions. 

The  objects  compo- 
sing the  Buddhist  col- 
lection are  particularly  worthy  of  attention,  being  very  well  selected. 

The  museum  library  contains  4,225  works  and  508  maps;  the  Siberian 
division  is  especially  coiii|ileie  and  interestiuir.  The  pul)lication  of  the  .Me- 
moirs" of  the  Siberian 
Geographical  Society  be- 
gan in  1854;  the  first 
numbers  were  printed 
in  St.  Petersburg,  and 
tile  next  following  in 
Irkutsk.  Since  ISTO.  the 
Society  has  published 
its  ^Xew's"  containing 
short  reviews  and  arti- 
cles, aiming  at  the  rapid 
communication  of  infor- 
mation offering  any  par- 
ticular interest.  Forsonie 
years  |)ast,the  ^Memoirs" 
have  ceased  to  be  pub- 
lished by  the  Society. 
The  .News"  comprises 
XXIII  volumes  from  1898. 
Since  1897,  the  Society  has  laiblished  iieriodical  „Tran.sactions",  of  which 
two  editions  have  been  issued.  The  scientific  activity  of  the  Society  is 
clcsely    connected    with    the  naini>s  of  Maak,  <^'hi'kaniivsky.  riybovsky,  God- 


f^useum  of  the   East  Siberian  branch  of  the  Imperial  Geographical 
Society. 


HIO 


GI'IDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


O^itnrl.i:  L-nurcn, 


levsky.  Cherskv.  Miliiitin.  I'l'tiinin,  I'nzilni't'v,  Yfuirintsev,  Przewalski,  Poliakiiv, 
Adriiinov.  Maikov,  .)()clu>lsnhn,  Kiomenz,    Obruchov  and  others. 

Libraries:  [mblic  town  library  with  lixed  entrance  fee.  containing  ovor 
27,00(1  volumes,  a  free  imblic  reading-room,  the  Kast  Siberian  Imjierial  Russ- 
ian Geogrnphii-al   Socifty's  lil)rary  free;  tliat    of  the    ecclesiastical  seminar>. 

which  is  one  of  the  best, 
possessing  20,00(.)  vol- 
umes and  including  rare 
and  valuable  editions. 
Makushin's  book.shop, 
Mrs.  Vitkovski's  printing 
offices,  and  those  of  the 
Government  Board,  Ko- 
kovin,  Leibovich,  Maku- 
shin  and  Sizykh. 

Photographic  studios: 
.\rnold,Hofmann.  Degtia- 
riov,  Mamonov,  and  Mi- 
levsky. 

Periodicals  published 
in  Irkutsk:  The  Trkiitsk 
Government  Gazette  ( we- 
ekly), Irkutsk  Diocesan 
Gazette  (twice  a  month).  Circulars  for  the  East  Siberian  schools  under 
the  control  of  the  Ministry  of  Education  (twice  a  month).  The  Irkutsk  Muni- 
cipality News  (issued  twice  a  month),  the  East  Siberian  Imperial  Geographical 
Society's  News  (irregularly  issued  five  times  a  year).  Transactions  of  the 
same  Society  (Irregular 
publications),  Transac- 
tions of  the  Society  of 
lioctors  of  Eastern  Si- 
lieria.  The  Eastern  Re- 
view (literature  and  po- 
litics, daily)  R.  9  a  year: 
the  Siberian  Magazine  is 
published  as  supplement 
to  the  Gazette,  subscriji- 
tion  R.  2  a  year. 

Hospitals  and  sani- 
tary institnti(ms:  Knz- 
netsov,  Soldiitov.  for 
citizens  of  the  lower 
class,  the  Ivan  and  Ma- 
ti'iona  children's  hospi- 
tal, the  ,Mikh('ev  dispens- 
ary, a  military  hospital. 
and  a  sanatorium  for  animals. 

There  are  4  chemist's  shops,  a  druggist's  and  thr  chouiical  store  of  tbo 
military  department. 

Being  the  centri'  ot  tho  administrative  and  judicial  institutions,  Irkutsk 
ciintains  also  other  establishments  meeting  the  re(iuiremcnts  of  the  country: 


Irkutsk.  Lutheran  church. 


*! 


THE  IRKUTSK-BAIKAL  BRANCH. 


;311 


the  Irkutsk  cusloinhouso,  ilio  iiiMuiii'iic  ami  incU'orolojric.al  observatnry  ami  \\\>- 
minliiir  (li'i'artiiifiit  with  iroliliiii'lliiiic  lalmralnry. 

Wiirks  timl  faclurios  nf  Irkutsk.  ciini|irisinir  m^  vaiinus  coiu-iMiis,  have  a 
total  pi'ixhictiiMi  exei'tHlinj;-  a  million  ruhls  (,U.  l."tJ'>,4"il);  tliei-c  uiv  15  laiiiief- 
ies  (K.  249,7(H»|,  ti  t'uf  maiiufaclofies  (H.  lU.llKi),  4  soap  and  tallow  boilcries 
[\{.  s2.(K«n,  5  distilleries  and  reetifyin.t!:  works  (K.  170.277),  fi  hreweries  (K.  71,777). 
:{  saw-mills  (H.  t)0,.')!MM,  and  (i  rope-yards  (R.  2(i,.')(l()).  Acennlinu^  to  data  obtained 
from  the  revenue  deparment.  the  annual  tui'nover  of  the  eonimereial  enter- 
prises   paying-  duty  anKHinls  to  R.  l'.i.tUi4..'jiK). 

In  this  respei-t.  the 
first  place  belongs  to 
drapery  and  nianufai- 
lured  wares— H.  3.S.jt  i.i  k  k  i. 
grocery  —  R.  3,04(),0(Ki. 
haberdashery  and  iron 
wares  R.  l,40ti,UUU,  tea 
and  Chinese  goods.  -  li 
1,21U,UUU,  lurs—  R.  tJb4,(  K « I. 
shoes— K.  030,000,  wine 
cellars— R.  589,000,  min- 
ing goods  —  R.  535,000, 
shipping  enterprises— R 
4U0.IKI0. 1'lsh  industry— R. 
2:35,o<JO,  iron  and  pig- 
iron— R.  175,000  etc. 

The  duties,  levied 
(mainly  on  tea)  at  the 
Irkutsk  customhouse, 
amounted  in  1897  to  R.  '.>,4.{4.231.  23  k.  gold. 

The  annual  turnover  of  the  commercial  enterprises  shews  Irkutsk  to  be 
an  important  trading  centre.  The  following  financial  institutions  meet  the 
reiiuirements  of  local  trade  and  industry:  a  l>raneh  of  the  State  Bank,  branch 
of  the  Siberian  Traile  Bank,  branch  of  the  Russo-Chinese  Bank.  Mrs.  Med- 
vednikov's  Bank,  an  agency  of  the  Xizhni-.Novgorod-Samiira  and  Varoshiv- 
Kostroina  Land  Bank,  a  town  loan-bank.  The  capital  and  savings  deposited 
at  the  local  branch  of  the  State  Bank  ol'lrkutsk  amount  to  a  sum  of  R.  22,000,000. 

According  to  the  local  data  of  1899,  the  town  revenue  amounted  to  R. 
tiai,529.  including  R.  27.'),470  interest  on  private  capital  presented  to  the  town. 

The  ])roperty  of  the  town,  besides  real  estate,  consists  of  a  capital  amount- 
ing to  R.  4,940,419  at  the  disposal  of  the  town  board:  the  interest  is  em- 
ployed for  the  maintenance  of  educational  and  charitable  institutions.  The 
largest  capital  (R.  2.450,493)  belongs  to  Trapeznikov. 

The  most  impoi-tant  firms  are  Belogolovy  distillery,  cloth  and  glass  wares; 
Vtorov— manufactured  articles:  filotov.  shi|Piiing  on  the  Lena  and  Angara: 
Zharnikov— Mining  goods;  Kalmeer.  manufactured  and  mercery  goods;Sibiriakbv. 
mining,  navigation  on  the  .\nuir;  Telnykh— haberdashery  and  iron  w^ares;  Ko- 
roliov— tea  and  sugar;  Molchanov— tea:  Xemchi'nov— tea,  navigation  on  the 
Baikal:  Stakheev— manufactured  wares;  Kuznetsov— grocery,  and  the  Li'-na— 
Vitim  Company,  belonging  to  Xenichinov.  Baz;inov  and  Sibiriakiiv. 

Transport  offices:  Andreev.  Bliakln-r,  Brothers  Kuznetsov.  Kukhti'i-in  and 
Sons.  I'oliakov.  I'ushnikov  and  Shadrin. 

20a 


irK'^isK.  k..yOnimerciai  scnooi. 


312 


GUIDE   TO  THK  GREAT  SIBEKIAN  RAILWAY. 


Molds  Mild  fiiniislietl  rnoiiis:  „Itcc()l"  (linifl  and  ri'sUuirani )  isthobest.  with 
riMiiu.s  IVtiin  1{.  2  a  day.  „Kiinip(''".  „Silici-ia"  (liolid  and  i'i'staui-anl  I.  Ilic  ...\imii- 
lull"  (funiished  romns),  ,.)uiii;",  with  irnod  fi'staiii'aiit  and  (■.xcolliMil  diniicis 
llackncy-coacii  tai'itl':  (h'ivc  in  tho  tuwn  .io  k.  in  thi'  da\.  4(i  k.  at  ni.::hi. 
Ti)  the  Jenisalem  mounUiin,  to  the  I'pper-.Vini'ir  barrier  and  the  Bazanov  child- 
ren's hnsjiital,  :5()  k.  in  the  day,  and  oti  k.  at  night.  To  the  .suburbs  of  (iliiz- 
kovo.  Znainenie  and  to  tlie  Trading  Settlement  40  k.  in  the  day.  (iO  k.  at  night. 
The  toll  for  the  i)assage  of  the  bridge  ol'  the  Tsesari'vich  Xichcdas  and  ovei- 
the  Angara  is  paid  by  the  passenger.  An  hour's  drive  costs  .')()  k.  in  the  day, 
and  61)  k.  at  night.  The  day  lasts  from  7  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  Id  in  the 
evening,  the  night  commences  at  in  in  the  eveninir  and  ends  at  7  in  the 
morning. 

Among  the  historical  events  in  the  life  of  the  l.iwii.    may    be  mentioned: 
the  visit  of  the  (irainl  1  Uike  .\lcxis  .Mcxaiidrovich  in  1S7.-?,  on  his  way  round 

the  world,  and  in  IS'.H. 
that  of  the  Tsesarevieh, 
the  present  Kmiioror 
.Xicholas  II.  His  Imperial 
-Majesty  arrived  in  Ir- 
kutsk, the  23  June,  in 
the  steamer  „Speransky 
l>.\  the  .\ngar;i:  the  land- 
ing -  place  was  adorned 
with  a  triumiihal  airh. 
which  remains  to  the 
present  day.  During  his 
stay  in  the  town  from 
the  23  to  the  24  .lune. 
Ills  Imperial  Majesty  vis- 
aed many  educational 
establishments,  the  mus- 
eum of  the  Eastern 
Branch  of  the  Imperial  Russian  Geographical  Society,  the  gold-melting  labor- 
atory, the  Monastery  of  the  Ascension,  and  the  cami)  of  the  reserve  battal- 
ion. He  also  attended  the  consecration  and  opening  of  the  pontoon  bridge 
over  the  Angara,  which  was  built  at  tlie  cost  of  the  town  in  commemoration 
of  the  Imiierial  visit.  On  the  24  .lune.  after  having  been  present  at  a  ball  in 
the  public  club.  His  Imperial  Majesty  left  Irkutsk  on  the  steamer  „8i)eriinsky" 
and,  steaming  down  the  .\nii;ira.  reached  the  settlement  of  Harkhotovo. 
whence  accompanied  by  A.  D.  Goremykin.  Governor-General  of  Irkutsk,  he 
]>rocepded  in  an  open  carriage  to  Tomsk.  Within  the  last  years  of  the  cent- 
ury, the  history  of  tho  town  and  of  the  whole  of  Siberia  has  been  marked 
by  events  impoi'tant  for  civilisatiiuK  the  introduction  of  new  l.aws  in  isud, 
and  the  opening  of  trntfic  on  the  Great  SiJM'rian  Kailwax  in  is'.is.  connecting 
Irkiitsk  and  Europe  by  an  uninterrupted  railw;i\    line. 

Leaving  the  station  of  Irkutsk,  the  line  runs  along  the  lelt  bank  ol'  the 
.Vngani. 

Ii7i  MikhSlevo  (174s  v.  from  Krivoshcbekovo.  ■>i)7ti  v.  from  Cheliiibinsk) 
is  situated  near  the  village  id'  .Mikbalevo  (pop.  .3521.  Continuing  its  course 
along  th(>  left  bank  of  the  .\ngari'i.  the  line,  within  .'!  versts  of  the  station 
crosses  the  K'uriui'i,  left  tributary  of  the  .Vngar.'i,    b.\   a  wooden    bridge  id'   U» 


Bridge  over  the  Angari  in  the  town  of  Irltutslc. 


THE  TOMSK  BRANCH  LINE. 


313 


-iizluMis.  FurtlnT.  at  tin-  .'>i>  vorsi.  ii  runs  over  Ihc  Lanka  l>.v 

t    l.'>  sazhons.    From  this  station  to  tlu-    Baikal,  tliorc  aro 

'iridirt's. 

tvsi  Baikal.  (17S(i  V. 
iVom  Krivoshchokovo. 
Mlliiv.  tVi>ni('lu'lial>inski 
Frnni  this  station.  tii<- 
lino  runs  fi>r  a  (iistani'o 
of  aliout  4t)(>  sazhons 
and.  roaohinir  tho  tiai- 
k-il.  torminatos  at  the 
landing  -  place,  whenee 
the  trains  are  iransiioi-t- 
ed  ijy  an  irelireakinu: 
I'errx. 

The  riilinir  vn-aile  ihii 


a  wocido 
44  small 


n  bi-idire 
wooden 


Arrival  of  the  first  train  at  Irkutsk  on  the  16  August, 

.iitrhiMii  ilir  !rkuisk-Haik:il  line  is  of  om 


i8".a. 


The  Tomsk  branch  line. 


The  Itraneh  line  leaves  the  main  Silierian  traek  at  the  station  of  Taig;;, 
(222  V.  from  Krivushchekovo  and  1.').'.4  v.  from  Cheliabinsk).  Knnning  to  the 
north-east  tmvards  the  town  of  Tomsk,  the  line  has  a  total  length  of  89.:i4.i 
versts.  For  a  distance  of  io  versts.  the  line  proceeds  along  the  watershed  of 
the  rivers  Katat  and  Kuyerbak.  falling  into  the  Yaya.  Tugu.vano\ka  and  Ha- 
sandaika.  trilmtaries  nf  the  Tom.  The  country  is  monotonous  and  covered  with 
continuous  and  mostly  swampy  taiga. 

li  Basand^ika.  V  clivss  station  (4o  v.  from  Taiga.  1599  v.  from  Chelia- 
liinski.  From  here  the  line  jiroceeds  along  tho  watershed  of  the  river  Basan- 
<laika  antl  Lshaika.  The  country  heconies  more  hospitable  and  even  pictur- 
esque. 

2)  Mezheninovka.  IV  class  sta- 
tion (73  V.  from  Taiga.  1027  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk).  Leaving  the  station,  the 
line  crosses  the  L'shaika  (77  v.i  by  an 
iron  bridge,  with  an  opening  of  2ii 
sazhens.  and  gradually  ascendinir  The 
N'oskrest'-nskaya  mountain  reaches  the 
town  of  Tomsk.  .V  considerable  ([uanlily 
of  goods,  mainly  wheat-flour,  are  con- 
veyed from  this  station  to  Kastern  .Si- 
beria: in  isits.  the  export  id'wheat-tlour 
amounted  to  214..i4(i  puds. 
li  Tomsk.  Ill  class  station.  BuHet.  tS2  v.  from  Taiga.  ie3ti  v.  from  Che- 
liabinsk). Is  situated  within  2  versts  of  the  town  of  Tomsk,  being   cmnected 


View  of  the  Tomsk  branch. 


314 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBEKIAX   RAILWAY. 


Bridge  c^ver  Ihp  UshSika, 


with  it  by  ;i  niaciidam  road.  Tho  rountry  is  level.  <li-.\'  and  (.-oviTod  with  .\niinu' 
hircli  wood.  The  goods  trafTic  is  considerahlo,  and  increases  in  connexion  wilh 
thi>  expansion  of  common-ial  relations  evuked  hy  the  railway. 

luirini;-  the  year  1898,  tlie  .uoods 
ini|iiirte(i  liMiii  the  station  amounted  to 
:!.(HM).(i(K)  puds.  About  2<S4,iiKSi  piids  id' 
wheat-flour  were  conveyed  tVeni  tlie 
station  to  Kastern  Siberia  in  IKiis. 
Hence  the  line  descends  with  niaxiinuni 
iii'ades  of  ol.'i  toward^;  th(^  river  Tom. 
4)  Cheremoshnikl.  V  class  sta- 
tion (89  v.  from  Taiga,  ltJ4;S  v.  from 
Cheliabinsk)  is  situated  (in  the  bank 
of  the  Torn  near  the  landin.g-place, 
where  commences  the  steamship  communication  by  the  rivers  of  the  Oli  bas- 
in. Large  buildings  stand  close  at  hand  for  the  accomodation  of  jrooils  entrusted 
to  the  shipowners  for  further 
conveyance  to  Tinmen.  Bar- 
naul and  other  centres,  and 
for  the  storage  of  goods  com- 
ing by  water,  mainly  from 
European  Russia  through  Tiu- 
men.  to  be  forwarded  to  the 
East  by  the  Great  Siberian 
Railway. 

A  medical  and  feeding- 
station  has  been  established 
iu  proximity  to  the  landing- 
places  for    the    use   of   emi- 

.grants,  arriving  by  steamers  from  Tiuiiien  and  jiroceeding  to  the  lo<-allties 
allotted  for  colonisation.  It  is  the  residence  of  an  official  entrusted  with  the 
reirulation  of  the  emigration  movement. 

The  Tomsk  branch  line  throughout  its  course  has  man,\   curves,  the  pro- 
tile  of  the  roadway  shews  grades  of  .ol.').  with  curves  having  a  radius  of  15G 

sazhens.  The  construe-' 
tion  of  the  branch  line 
was  commenced  during 
the  sumiuer  of  lS!».i.  and 
completed  in  the  autumn 
.if  isiid. 

Tomsk  is  a  govern- ^'^ 
nient  town,  standing  on 
th(>  ri.ght  bank  of  the 
Tom  at  its  junction  with 
the  river  Ushiiika  (ae"^ 
29'  X.  lat.  54'  37'/a'  B^ 
long).  The  locality  occup- 
ied by  the  town  is  form- 
ed |)arlly  by  the  low  branches  of  the  Kiizui'tsk  .\latau  (343  feet),  and  partly 
by  lowland  lying  at  the  foot  of  these  branches.  The  river  Tom  skirts  the 
town,  forming  an  almost  regular  semicircle  from  the  soutli-west  and  western 


Quay  of  the  Ushaika  in  Tomsk. 


i 

^Hh 

wUT^^S^      ^'-'lHam— ■      .^^rffll^^^'^                  k  JB 

■1 

liiESl^^^^^^^iM 

BIB 

^^gmm 

The  Alexis  Monastery  in  Tomsk. 


THK  TOMSK   BUAMM   LINK. 


315 


side.  Till'  piiiuilafuin  of  the  lowii  \v:is  irivcn  at  .V2,4:y)  liy  Iho  consus  of  1K07. 
(27.1411  males.  2r).2!)n  females).  In  iliis  n's|ii'c(,  'ruinsk  hulds  ihe  (irst  place 
amciiii;-  the  (owns  of  Siberia. 

Tlie  town  was  founded  at  tile  lieirinninir  of  tlie  XVII  eentury.  Hy  eom- 
niand  of  llie  Tsar  Horis  (iodunov,  tlie  Cossaek  Majoi-  I'lsacev  and  the  nohles 
son  Tyi-kov.  estahlished  the  Tomsk  stockaded  post,  wliich  received  its  name 
IVoni  the  rivei-  Tom  and  stood  in  a  locality  resorted  to  by  the  wanderini;- 
Tatar  tribe  of  Yeushtintsy  ruled  by  the  Prince  T.iyan.  The  entrenched 
post  soon  became  of  great  importance  for  the  sidt.jection  of  the  native 
tribes.  In  Ui2il,  the  Tomsk  |iost  was  transformed  into  a  town:  in  ITiiS, 
after  the  organisation  of  a  Siberian  government  with  the  chief  town  (d'  To- 
bolsk, it  ranked  as  a  district  town;  in  ITli).  Tomsk  was  included  in  the  Yeni- 
seisk province,  in  172(>.  in  the  Tobolsk  government;  in  17S2.  after  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Tobiilsk  vicegerency.  it  ranked  asrain  as  a  district  town;  in 
17'.t7.  it  was  transformed  into  a  district  town  of  the  Tobolsk  government,  and 
in  1SI)4.  after  the  organ- 
isation ofa  special  Tomsk 
goxernnient,  it  became 
its  capital. 

The  climate  of  Tomsk 
is  rather  severe.  The 
mean  annual  tempera- 
ture is  0.7.  The  ice  on 
the  river  Tom  near  the 
town  breaks  on  the  :{o 
.Vpril.  and  sets  again  on 
the  2  November;  thus 
the  river  remains  free 
of  ice  for  IMti  days  in 
the  year.  Southern  winds 
prevail.  At  the  iiresent 
date,  Tomsk  is  a  well 
built  town  containing 
many  fine  edifices  of 
stone,  fitted  with  elec- 
tric light  and  tidephones: 
some  of  the  streets 
are  jiaved.  The  total 
nuiTiber  of  buildings  in 
the  town  exceeds  1.%(kh). 
there  are  over  3,2(mi 
estates.  Tomsk  possesses 
2  orthodox  monasteries 
and  2;?  chiiiidies.  incIiKf- 
ing  s  |)arisli  churches. 

The  Alexis  monas- 
tery was  founded  in  liiu.'):  it  contains  a  church  with  an  aisle  in  honour  of 
Our  Lady  of  Kazan,  of  Alexis  the  Servant  of  God  and  of  the  Saints  Krol  and 
Lavr.  There  are  only  four  monks,  the  Sui)erior  is  endowed  with  the  rank 
of  Archiuiandrit(\  .\mong  the  ancient  relics  kept  in  the  mimastery.  a  large 
wooden  cross  and  a  local  image  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  painted  in  16til.  are  parti- 


Cathcdral  o(  the  Annunciation  in  Tomsk. 


:{l(i 


GUIDK  TO  Tin-:  URKAT  SIBEUIAN    UAILWAY. 


ciihu'ly  notowortliy.  Tin'  lirst  'rmiisk  scIumiI  wm.s  created  in  tlio  iiioiiastor.N'  in 
1740.  Tile  cnclosuro  nl'  tii(^  monastiM'v  cdiitains  the  grave  <ij' the  monk  Thcddnrc 
Iviizniii'ii.  wiio  ilicd  in  isiil  and  was  partieularly  venerated  on  account  oF  his 
ascetic  life.  Many  legends  arc' attached  to  this  personage,  which  have  even 
been  spread  by  the  press!  (Russian  .\ntiquity.  ISSO.  ISHT,  1894.  pamphlet 
published  in  1895  and  ISOii) 

The  nimner.v  of  Jolm  the  Baptist  was  foinnled  in   ls(i4  at  the  cost  of  the 
Tomsk  merchants  widow  Miklu'cv.  who  was  tlie    lirst  l.ady  Superior   of  the 


The  Trinity  Cathedral  in  Tomsk. 


nunnei-y.  It  cdntains  Ihr  Cathedral  of  the  Assuniiitinn,  with  aisle.s  in  liniMur 
of  Ihe  .\ssumption  of  the  Holy  ^'irgill.  of  .\le.\is,  the  Metropnlitan  of  Moscow 
and  -lohn,  the  Metropolitan  id'  Novgorod:  and  the  church  id'  St.  Innoeent, 
consecrated  to  the  first  archbishoj)  oi  Irkutsk.  A  workhouse  is  attached  to 
the  monastery.  The  fdllowing  orthodox  churches  ai'c  connected  with  histor- 
ical events;  the  Xativily  or  Nicholas  tdiurch,  formerly  belonging  t(t  the 
nunnery  founded  in  li'iTl.  whiidi  has  long  ceased  to  exist.  From  ITic  to  1742. 
the  walls  of  this  luiniier.v  hidd  the  unhai)i>y  bride  of  thi>  l-juiiernr  Peter  II. 
the  i'rincess  Catherine  holgoriiky.  who  was  si't  IVeo  by  tlie  l-lnipress  \'Av/,;\- 
bi'ih  Petri'ivna.  up^n  hei-  asci>n<iing  to  the   thriuie. 


THE  TOMSK  BRANTH  LINE. 


317 


Thi'  church  of  the  Miraciilmis  Apiiarition  of  the  Holy  Vh-irin.  l>iiilt  in  the 
inidfile  of  the  XVllI  century  l>y  the  noble  Kalachciv,  contains  several  ancient 
iniaires.  Cathedrals:  of  the  Annunciation,  erected  in  l.S(i4  in  the  name  of  the 
imasre  of  the  Annunciation  and  of  the  Presentation:  <d'  the  Holy  Trinity,  found- 
ed in  1845.  and  now  finished  with  aisles  consecrated  to  the  Holy  Trinity, 
Saint  Nicholas  and  St.  Alexander  Xevsky.  The  Cathedral  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
was  erected  according  to  the  plans  of  the  architect  Ton.  and  is  in  the  same 
style  as  the  church  of  the  Presentation  belonir- 
ing  to  the  Semionov  reiriment  in  St.-Petersl>urir. 
In  18.5.'>,  the  cupola  which  had  just  been  finishe<l 
foil  in,  and  the  work  was  alumdoned  for  some 
time.  It  was  resumed  only  in  1.SS.5,  thanks  to 
the  eflVirts  of  the  former  Archbishop  of  Tomsk 
and  Semipalatinsk,  Vladimir,  and  of  the  honor- 
ary citizen  Mikh;iilov.  who  both  collected  priv- 
ate donations  for  the  construction  of  the  cath- 
edral. The  larirest  sum  was  sriv(Mi  by  Mrs. 
Zibulskaya. 

Besides  these  churches,  the  town  possesses  4  chapels.  The  chapel  of  Our 
Lady  oflberia,  erected  in  18.54  at  the  cost  of  Mr.  Petrov,  enjoys  si)ecial  vener- 
ation: it  is  built  on  the  model  of  the  Iberian  chapel  in  Moscow  and  the 
ima^e  of  Our  Lady  of  Iberia  is  an  exact  copy  of  the  Moscow  paintin.ir. 

Foreign  churches:  Lutheran  church  of  St.  Mary;  Catholic  church  in  hon- 
our of  the  Intercession  of  th<^  Holy  Virgin:  >:?  Jewish  synagogues  and  a 
Mohammedan  mosque. 

On  account  of  the  number  of  its  schools  and  the  i;eneral  level  of  educ- 
ation, Tomsk  holds  an  important  place  among  the  government-towns  of  the 
Kmpire.  It  contains:  one  first  class  school,  5  second  class,  7  lower  and  43 
elemenlarv  schools,  forminir  a  total  of  ,i6  educational  institutions. 


Chapel    of  the  Iberian  Mother 
of  God  in  Tomsk. 


The  Tomsk  Imperial  I'niversity  with  two  faculties  (medicine.  232  stud- 
ents and  law.  150  students),  a  government  gymnasium  (418  pupils),  the 
Alexis  m«idern  school,  founded  in  n)emoi-y  of  the  (iraiul  l»uke  .\lexis  Alexan- 
drovichs  visit  to  the   town    (ITii   scholars),   the    Mary   gymnasium   for  girls 


318 


GUIDE  TO  THE  OHEAT  SIBERIAN'    RAILWAY. 


(69S  pupils)  an  ecclesiastic  seminary  (237  students),  a  diocesan  school  lor 
irii'ls  (2Mi)  pupils)  a  clergy  school  for  boys  (l(i;5  scholarsp).  a  district  school 
|21S  pop.).  2S  parish  schools  (11  for  boys  with  1086  ])upils,  0  for  girls  with 
'.r27  pupils).  11  parish  schools  (21t)  boys.  2Ii>  girls),  a  church  parish  school  with 
two  classes  for  training  peasant  boys  as  teachers  for  village  reading  schools 
(78  pup.),  a  commercial  school  (93  pup.)  the  Brothers'  Koroliov  commercial 
school  (67  pup.),  a  veterinary  and  surgeon's  school  (43  ])up.),  a  school  for 
niidwives  (82  pup.),  3  Sunday  schools  (i)0  boys.  402  girls),  4  private  mixed 
schools  (14:i  boys.  Ill  girls),  4  home  schools  (81  boys,  100  girls),  a  Tatai- 
school  of  the  Ministry  ot"  the  Interior  (37  pup.).  The  total  number  of  pupils 
in  all  the  educational  establishments  of  Tomsk,  with  the  exception  of  the 
university,  on  the  1  .January  was  .5,980,  forming  a  proportion  of  one  impil  to 
9  inhabit.;ints  of  the  town,  or  one  elementary  school  pupil    to    !.'>  inhabitants. 

The  first  jilace  among 
the  numerous  education- 
al institutions  belongs 
'o  the  Tomsk  Imperial 
I'niversity.  which  is  the 
only  one  in  Siberia  and 
in  the  whole  of  the  .Asia- 
tic dominions;  it  was 
founded  on  the  2(1  .\ug- 
ust,  1880,  and.  inaugur- 
Mted  on  the  22  .luly. 
isss,  on  the  name  day 
'f  the  Empress  Mar.\ 
I'eodorovna. 

Possessing    only    a 

faculty  of  medicine,  the 

university,      during      a 

period  of  ten  years,  had 

over  a  thousand  students,  of  whom  239  took  degrees   as  doctors  of  medicine 

up  to  the  year  1898. 

Although  it  had  only  a  medical  faculty,  the  university  exerted  a  most 
civilising  effect  upon  Siberia,  providing  with  young  physicians  some  ot  the 
distant  and  desert  districts  of  the  country,  and  also  furnishing  a  series  of 
scientific  expeditions  to  the  North-Asiatic  continent. 

The  opening  of  a  faculty  of  law  in  the  Tomsk  University,  which  tmik 
place  in  1898,  will  in  the  near  future  introduce  a  new  element  of  civilisation 
in  the  life  of  Siberia,  and  furnish  fresh  pioneers  for  the  promotion  of  public 
Justice  in  far  off  regions,  lying  aloof  from  the  centres  of  civilisation. 

The  university  possesses  a  zoological  and  botanical  museum  with  beau- 
tiful collections  from  polar  countries,  made  by  the  Vega  exjiedition  under  the 
command  of  t\n\  celebrated  .Vordenskjold. 

It  further  contains  a  hei-bariuni  gathered  by  Potanin  on  the  TarbagatiU 
and  near  the  Zaisan,  collections  made  by  professors  of  the  Tomsk  university: 
Koi'zhi'nsky,  Kashchenko  and  others. 

Thr'  mineralogical  and  geological  museum  is  euriclied  Viy  \;ihiMlile  spei-- 
iiuens  given  by  Maximilian  Duke  ot  Leuchtenberg.  vi/.  a  pala<'onto|ogical 
collection  made  in  th(>  years  1840-18.50,  (3..'if)')  species).  The  archaeological 
and  ethnographical  museum  is  <\w  to  the   efforts   of   Florinsky.   the    former 


Archaeological  Museum 


THE  TOMSK  BRANCH  LINE. 


31  n 


ciiraliir  df  ilu'  West  8il>crian  districi  and  I'oiindi'i-  nl'  Iln'  imivi-rsilx .  A  dr- 
soriptiiin  iit'ilif  imiscum,  with  diMailcd  catalniiucs  and  cxiilanalinns  rcgardinir 
arfha('ol<iiiii-al  cxcavatiniis  niadr  in  Silicria,  is  tn  In-  loiind  in  the  works  of 
Fli)nnsl\y. 

The  must  iniimrtant  and  inlcrcstin^-  i-diii'clinns    arr    ciinlaincd  in  the  Si- 
dui-iiv  cases,  viz.  a    enllection    of  Toiiolslv   anliiiiiities    I'nund    l),\    Znamensk.v, 
that  III'  I>initi-iev-Manii'i- 
nnv   ciintaininj;    objects 
excavated  Irnni  kufgans 
and  I'lUind  dnring  e.xplnf 
ations    conducted    near 
Tohidsk:    this   collection 
is    coniposed    of  olijects 
dating-  from    pi-ehistoric 
times,  which  have  lieen 
presented    to  the    mus- 
enm     l).v    the    oxplofef. 
licsides  these,  there  are 
afticles  collected  l).v  Flo 
finsky       (Semii'i'chensk 
antiipiities),  by  Xekrasox 
(Tomsk    antinnities).   b.\ 
Kuznels()v  (antii|aitiesof 
the  .Minnsiiisk  district)  el(!. 

Tile  analoniical  and  physica 
been  oi'-ianiscd  with  the  aid 


Anatomical  Museum  of  Tomsk  University. 


Library  of  Count  Str6ganov  in  the  Tomslc  University. 

ind  thi'    successors   of  Count  Liiki 


i'lince  riolitsyn 
he  museum. 

In  course  of  tinii 
•  y  iH-ivalc  diinaliiiiis: 
/.hukovskv.  tutor  of  tli 


ibincts    and    a    idicniical    lalioraliiry    liavc 
f  lilirral  donations  luaijo  li.v  Sil)iriaki'iv. 

'{"lie  library  of  the 
MUiseinn  is  its  chief  orn- 
aincnt.  niindierin,;;  over 
Kiii.DiK)  volumes.  The 
tirst  ,i;ift  to  the  library 
was  made  by  Count 
strotcanov,  who  present- 
iMJ  a  valuable  collection 
of  books,  cngravinf^s. 
nriizinal  desiirns  and 
sketches  referring  to  va- 
rious sciences.  The  books 
are  beautifully  bound 
and  somi^  of  them  beion.ir 
to  tlie  earliest  editions: 
otiiers  are  unica  and  add 
an  inestimable  value  to 
this  enliirhtened  gift.  .\ 
valuable  donation  of  5(mki 
vnluines  was  made  by 
presented  Ills  libcary  to 


other  liooks     were  added    to    the   university    liiirary. 

such    a  If    the    books    which    belonged    to   the    poet 

Emperor  .\lexander  II  (4iJ74  vol.).  to  the  ,\cadeinician 


320 


GUIDK  TO  THK  GRKAT  SIliEKIAN  KAILWAY. 


Xikitcnkd  (2iKin  titles):  to  r.iuiit  V.-iluev.  Ini-nicr  Minister  (if  thi'  Intcrini-;  in 
Manasein,  lormer  I'nii'essor  uf  tiie  Military  Academy  "f  Meiiieiiie  (iiiiiK)  vnlj; 
to  Professor  Pfeifer  in  Weimar  (20)4  titles);  to  Nekliudov,  former  Assistant 
Minister  of  the  lnt(>rior',  to  Professor  Gneist  in  Berlin  (almiit  lojifti)  hooks  and 
|iam|ililelsl. 


The  physical  cabinet  of  the  Tomslc  University. 


Till'  folhnviniT  rlinics  are  attached  to  the  university:  therapeutic,  lyinir- 
in,  surgical,  dermatological,  for  children  and  lunatics.  The  clinics  are  o|ien 
from  the  1  September  to  the  1  May,  with  a  fee  of  R.  7  a  month.  The  rate  for 
a  separate  room  is  R.  .50  a  month. 

.Xear  the  university,  stands  a,  three-storcxed  luiildlng  inhaliitcd  li.\  so  stud- 
ents, which  was  erected  by  private  subscription.  As  it  does  not  suffice  for 
the  increased  number  of  students,  since  the  addition  of  a  now  faculty  to  the 
university,  subscriptions  for  the  construction  of  a  new  buildin.u-  are  now  beini;- 
solicited  and  a  sjtecial  connnittee  of  the  Tomsk  uiuniciiialily  has  been  organ- 
ised foi'  this  pur|)ose.  .\  substantial  aid  to  the  students  is  furnished  l>y 
scholarships.  58  of  which  are  at  the  disposal  of  the  university.  20  of  tbeui 
lieing  jirovided  by  the  Oovei'nment  with  a  value  of  R.  .^(X)  (>ach.  the  others 
derived  from  the  interest  mi  tlie  money  givi-n  at  different  times  and 
by  different  persons  to  the  univcM'sity.  Tin'  capital  employed  for  sclndar- 
ships,  composed  af  private  donatiiuis.  at  the  lu-i^sent  time  aiiinunts  to 
R.  4,(X)().(yK):  the  largest  sums  were  ij:iveii  b\   Solonionov   (R.  .V.i.ihmd.    I'ortiKiv 


THK  Ti>M>K  liKANril  LIXE. 


3-21 


i;.    Td.OKM.    Zylnilskx     (l\.    :W.(hh»),    Kuznots()v    (R.    4.i,i«"i).    ("oiinl    l.irnali^■\■ 
lU.  2.s.{1C)0).  Sivers  (I{.  24.ikiii)  and  the  Kiakhta  miTchants  (R.   IT.tWM)). 

Tlu>  erection  of  a  Teehnoloirii'a!  Institiil(>,  which  will  lie  the  first  in 
Siln-ria,  promises  to  create  a  centre  I'oi'  the  ilitViision  oftiie  piactical  sciences 
in  Siheria. 

('harital)lc  institu- 
tions: a  charity  hoard, 
hospital,  poorhouse.  a 
lunatic  asylum  (founded 
isci.')(  maintained  at  the 
( nst  of  the  hoard  and 
from  sums  olitained  h.\ 
taxation.  Thehosi)ital  of 
ihe  hoard,  heinir  situated 
closi-  to  the  clinic  of 
the  Tniversity.  serves 
the  sami>  purpose.  The 
Marx  children's  home 
under  the  patronaue  of 
the  Empress  .Mar\. 
founded  in  1.S44  at  tlic 
cnsi  iit'(  iimmercialCoun- 
cilliir  I'opiiv.  This  estah- 

lishnient  owns  a  capital  of  R.  14(X(>H\  iriven  liy  the  icoldminer  .\stash()«; 
and  .Mrs.  Zyhulsky:  the  Mary  orphanaire.  founded  by  the  honorary  citizen 
I'lishnikov  and  his  wife,  in  commemoration    of  the  miraculous  escape  of  the 


Students*  College  at  Tomsk. 


Clinics  of  the  Tomsk  Universitv 


imperial  family  from  the  railway  acciilent  which  happened  on  tlu' 17  Oilohcr, 

'.s.'is.  The  orphanage  is  provided  with    a  capital    of  \i.  tio.ox);   foundlings  and 

rphans   are  admitted  to  it.  Tlie  Vladimir  Home,  founded    in  IW.i  in  commc- 


322 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SiBERIAX    RAILWAY. 


HKiration  "f  tlic  (ir.iiid  Muke  Vladimir  Ali'x;indrovich'.s  visit  to  'ronisji,  is 
under  tlio  cuntiul  nf  the  Enijircss  Mary  Iteiiartniont.  The  buildinir  of  the 
iionie  was  constructed  at  the  cost  of  tiie  morchants  Petn'iv  and  Mii<haiinv. 
Tiiis  institution  possesses  a  ca|>ital  of  R.  so.ikmv  TViere  are  furtiier  a  poor- 
iiouse  for  the  lower  class  citizi'ns;  the  Pokrov  poorhouse:  the  poorhoiise 
of  the  Jewish  Society;  a  ni.irht-shelter  near  the  landinu-place  of  Cherenioshniki; 
a  home  for  emigrants'  children,  founded  in  189S  on  the  initiative  of  .Mrs. 
Lomachevsky,   wife  of  the  Tomsk  governor,  by  voluntary  donations. 

Missionary  and  charitable  societies  operatinir  in  acci)rdance  with  thoir 
cliarters:  The  Committee  of  the  Orthodox  Missionary  Societ.x'.  a  branch  ot 
the  antisectarian  brotherhood  of  Saint  r)enietrius.  relief  societies  attached 
to  a  groat  number  of  parish  churches  throughout  the  town.  These  societies 
were  organised  and  developed  by  the  Archbishop  Macarius  of  the  Tomsk 
diocese.  The  Society  of  the  Rxaltation  of  the  Cross  maintains  a  liaby-homi\ 
otierin.g  a  day-slielter  to  cliildren  whose  parents  are  away  at  work.  The 
activity  ol'  the  societies  consists  in  relieving  the  ]ioor,  orphans  and  persons 
incapable  of  workiuir.  and  in  affording  pecuniary  relief  in  cases  of  extriMiie 
necessity. 

The  parish  socii^-liis  I'stablished  a  workhouse,  which  in  1S9!S  passeil  under 
tlie  control  of  the  general  workhouse  ward,  enjoying  the  patronage  of  Hcm- 
Imperial  .Majesty  the  p]mpress  .Mex;indra  Feiidorovna.  The  charitable  society 
organised  in  18H5,  with  a  far-reaching  philanthroidc  activity  directed  by  its 
jiresident  Giliarov,  maintains  the  Pokrov  [loorhouse  and  a  night-shelter,  as 
well  as  providin.g  cheap  dinners  and  a  home  for  children  and  old  people. 
The  Scholars'  Relief  Society,  founded  in  187.S,  has  for  its  object  the  assistance 
of  students  of  the  Tomsk  University  and  of  other  liigher  educational  estab- 
lishments. There  are  also  an  institution  for  destitute  pupils  of  the  Tomsk 
ecclesiastical  seminary,  a  relief  society  for  destitute  [lupils  of  the  Alexis  modern 
school,  and  a  society  for  the  promotion  of  elementary  education,  organised 
on  the  initiative  of  Makushin.  wiiich  has  l)een  operatin.g  since  1882.  The 
successful  develo|)iuent  of  elementary  education  to  be  noticed  in  Tomsk  is 
largely  due  to  the  valuable  activity  of  this  last  society. 

It  oriianises  sunday  lectures,  maintains  a  needlework  school,  a  culinary 
school  for  .girls,  and  technical  and  commercial  Sunday  classes  tor  boys.  The 

|)ublic  library,  opened  by 

the  society,  is  deposited 

in  a    beautiful    building 
given  by  Valguzov,  with 
a  hall  holding  about  4(X) 
peojile.  There    is  also,  a 
sniall  museum  for  ju-ac- 
lical  science.  The    local 
■  jcpartment   ot    thi'  Red 
f'ross  Society,    existing 
-ince  1874,    possesses  aj 
caiiital    of    R.  50.000:    it ' 
maintains    a    sf)ciety  of  i 
-isters  of  mercy,  with  a 
liospital  for  children  and 
a  dispensary.  Other  org- 
anisatiims  are  the  General  Board  of  the  Imperial  Russian  Humam^  Society,  the 


THK  TOMSK  BRANTM  LINE. 


823 


Koniiin  Catholic  rharitalile  Society,  attachod  to  tlir  Toiiisk  cluirch  nf  iln 
liili'i-cfsslon  of  tho  Hol.v  Viririn,  and  a  reliof  socioty  icir  workmoii  ami 
niluors  in  tiu-  Tomsk  niininir  district,  founded  in  isii4. 

Tlie  last  Society  aims  at  the  assistance  of  workmen  and  mine  employ  ecs. 
incapalde  of  further  work,  disabled  by  accident  or  other  casuality.  The  Aiiri- 
cultural  Colonies  and  Commercial  School  Society  was  foinuled  in  139e.  witli  a 
view  to  imiirove  the  condition  ot"  boys  and  irirls  confined  in  penitentiaries: 
iiniiini:  smaller  orLcanisations  are  the  Clerks'  Mutual  Aid  Society,  the  Mutual 
Aid  Society  for  Women  employed  at  Tomsk,  and  the  „Anl-hill"  workmen's  club. 

Scientific  societies:  The  Naturalists'  and  Doctors'  Society,  attached  to  the 
Tomsk  university,  contributing  to  the  progress  of  all  branches  of  natural 
liistory  and  medicine,  occupied  with  the  study  of  Siberia  and  the  contiguous 
countries  in  connexion  with  natural  history  and  medicine,  their  population 
(mainly  the  natives)  from  an  anthropological  standpoint,  and  with  the  mode 
of  life  of  the  prehistoric  inhabitants  of  Siberia  according  to  the  data  of 
archaeology.  This  society  organises  excursions  or  facilitates  them,  arranges 
public  lectures  and  imldishes  a.journal:  ..Transactions  of  tht»  Tomsk  Xadual- 


Archibishop's  House  in  Tomsk. 


ists'  and  Doctors'  Society".  The  West- Siberian  .Vgricultural  Society  has 
existed  from  189 'v.  it  studies  the  reipiirenients  of  local  agriculture  and  organ- 
ises public  lectures,  which  are  imblished  under  the  title  of  ^Scientific 
f{eview  of  the  Tom.sk  Region".  Among  the  societies  fidlowing  a  certain  spec- 
iality, the  most  active  are:  the  Tomsk  branch  of  thi-  Impeiial  Russian  Mus- 
ical Society,  orsraniscd  in  IST'.l  by  Mrs.  Limitriev-Mamonov.  tiie  lii-st  jiresid- 
cnt  of  the  society,  and  a  musical  school,  the  first  in  Siberia,  attached  to  it. 
a  volunteer  fire-brigade:  a  racing  society,  with  a  course  of  its  own:  the  Legit- 
imate Sport  Society:  the  Sportsmen's  Society:  the  Horticultural  Society:  the 
Tomsk  Cooi)erative  Suiiply  Society:  the  Railway  Cooperative  Sujiply  Society: 
the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Physical  fievclopnient.  founiicd  in  ISiMi— it 
arranges  games,  has  built  i>ublic  baths  etc.  and  has  created  summer  colonies 
for  weak  children.  In  ls97,  an  extensive   space  of  wooded  land    fielonging  to 


324 


GUIDE   TO  THK  fIREAT  smERIAN  RAILWAY. 


the  Slate  was  graiili'il  \\<r  \\m-  iiMiiporary  usi-  nT  the  Sdi'icty  fur  ihc  aiTan.i:r 
nient  of  siininiei'  enlnnies. 

Tlie  stDiic  tlicatre  luiilt  li\  l\iir(ilii)\  is  iinw  leased  li>  its  nwner  Id  stnill- 
iiiii'  playei-s:  it  cdntaiiis  2  mws  nf  boxes,  a  gallery,  11  rows  of  fautiMiils  ami 
chairs,  and  a  pit  with  7S0  plaevs.  Fuhlie  and  (.'ommereial  ehibs. 

Lil)raries:  Besides  the  libraries  of  the  university  and  ol'other  establishincni^. 
Tomsk  is  provided  with  two  public  librarit's  founded  by  Makushin  and  a  free  rea- 
ding I'ooni  for  the  lower  classes  maintained  l)y  the  Society  for  the  Promotion  of 
Element ar\   Education. 

Tii(!  local  press:  the  „Tomsk  (iovernmeni  (iazette",  since  1X57:  the  non- 
official  part  has  been  published  since  18.')8.  serving  to  unite  the  local  intel- 
lectual powers  in  their  eflbrts  to  study  the  country:  the  „Tonisk  Diocesan 
Gazette";  the  ^Siberian  Life"  (non-official),  editor  Makiishin;  the  ^Siberian  Mess- 
en.ger"  (non-official),  editor  Preismann:  ^Circulars  for  the  \\'est-Sibei-ian  Educ- 
ational District":  „^lemoirs  of  the  Tomsk  Imperial  University":  .,(io|(l-Mining 
and  Mining  Messenger",  edited  by  Mining  Engineer  Reutuvsky. 

Printing  offices:  the  Government  Administration,  Beliaev,  Kononov.  .\lakii- 
shin,  S.  P.  Yakovlev  and  Co.,  the  Diocesan. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  the  government  and  the  contiguous  I'egions  and 
the  conditions  of  trade  and  industry-  have  transformed  the  town  into  an 
administrative  and  judicial  centre,  containing  some  other  special  establish- 
ments serving  local  requirements,  such  as  the  mining  department  with 
gold-nu'lting  laboratory,  the  department  of  the  Midsiberian  railway,  and  the 
commercial  dejiartment  of  the  Siberian  Railway. 

The  town  of  Tomsk  presented  long  ago  an  important  commercial  centre 
of  Sil)eria,  on  account  of  its  favourable  position  and  as  the  eastern  terminus 
of  tile  navigable  route  of  the  Ob  basin.  Having  been  avoided  by  the  railway, 
it  was  appi-ehended  that  the  fiirtlier  progi'ess  of  the  town  would  l)e  stopped 

and  that  it  would  become 
exclusively  a  centre  of 
administration:  these 
surmises  however  hav(> 
proved  untrue,  and  the 
town  continues  to  grow 
arid  extend  its  commer- 
cial operations.  Having 
lost  part  of  the  goods 
in  transit  by  the  railway. 
Tomsk  in  return  has 
widened  its  local  opera- 
tions, the  railway  enlar- 
ging more  and  more  the 
local  demand.  The  navi- 
ii'ation  commencing  at 
i<i\vn  of  Tomsk  reci-ives 
:is  well  a  further  lievc- 
lopment  thanks  tn  the 
progi'ess  nf  the  produc- 
tive capacity  of  the  country  caused  by  the  railway.  Tin'  establishment  of  an 
exchange  for  ascertain iiiij:  the  Ljeneral  coiiimerci:il  cnnditions  of  Siberian  trade 


Theatre  in  Tomsk. 


THK  TiiMSK  DK.WI-H   LINK.  325 

will  irrcally  intliR'nct'    the    irmwiii    nl'  ihc    inwn     and    cxcrl    its   oHVti  uium 
trade  and  industry. 

Manufai-tUfes  and  indii.sti-,\  nioir  (.•xli-n.sivrJN  di'velopi'd  in  Tunisk  than 
in  llu'  other  towns  of  Siberia,  air  gfadnally  ini-feasinir.  The  following  official 
data  show  the  niiiiiber  and  pi-odiii'tioii  of  the  tactm-ies  situated  within  tiie 
town-line: 

FACTORIES.  Xumlier.  Pioduriii.n  in  niliU. 

Distilleries .W  520,iXH) 

Beer  and  mead  hreweries  . .  4  5i;i.(KHi 

Vodka  distill.Mv 1  lO.iniO 

Yeast  manufaetories 4  20,700 

Potteries  4  18,000 

Rope-yards 2<i  21,(H>i 

Brick-kilns 4.s  15tJ,(i2o 

Tanneries  7  234.000 

Butter  manufactories 5  S..')(M) 

Saw-mill I  20.0(J0 

Soap  boileries 7  !S1.(H)0 

Wax  candle' man'ies H  3.5,000 

Tallow  candle  manies f.  4ti.(K)0 

Tallow  boileries 2  IS.ikk) 

Match  manies 3  14(i.ihki 

Fur  manies 3"  13.(hki 

Carriage  man"ies 3  IGu.ouo 

Machinery  works 2  .5,450 

Cast-iron  and  iron  works...  1  6.(KX) 

Joinery  works 24  54,2!S5 

Harness  man'ies In  IH.5.50 

Locksmiths 7  2I.3(KI 

Forges 3!i  49..5()ii 

Total 211  2.14K.40.5 

Four  banks  testify  to  the  extensive  commercial  operations  id'  the  town: 
Branch  ..f  the  State  Bank,  the  Siberian  Trade  Bank,  the  Russian  Bank  b.r 
Foreign  Trade,  and  th(>  Siberian  Pul)lic  Bank. 

.Xireni'ies:  The  '\'aroslav-Kostroma  anil  .Xi/.hni-.Xrivirorod-S.iinMra  Land 
Banks. 

Tlie  town  revenue  lor  Ihds  was  estimated  at  K.  3'.<ii.sl  1.  .«(  k..  Ilie  expend- 
iture at  R.  374.U1.S.  .S3  k.  In  l.SSK.  the  revenue  amounted  to  R.  I7t).717.  the 
expenditure  til  R.  l<is,205.  During  a  period  often  years,  the  town  revenue  more 
than  doiililed. 

Important  trading  firms  are  represented  by  Kukhterin  and  Sons.  Mikhai- 
lov— draper's  goods,  tea  and  sugar,  .\ekrasov— iron  wares.  Pastukhnv-wine- 
cellar.  Koroliov— tea  and  sugar.  Reutov.sky— technical  and  trading  oltici';  Tomsk 
Electric  Lightin-:.  Stakheev— drai)er's  goods.  Serebriakov— tobacco  shop.  Shve- 
tsov— tea  and  sugar.  The  .Mexander  Sugar  Refineries  Company  (Brodsk.v's 
refined  sugar).  Bngomnliiv     irmnvare.  (iolovamiv— readymade  shoes. 

.Virencies  nf  Insurance  Societies  and  Transport  Offices:  Belaev.  of  the 
Russian  Fin-  Insurance  Society  id   l.s27.  tiin.sberg.   of  the  Commercial  Insur- 


326 


OriDE  TO  THE  GRKAT  SIltKRIAN    RAILWAY. 


ranee  Socioh'.  1  iiiulrii'\,  oT  Ihc  St-Petershufi;'  Insm-aiirc  Society.  Ki'ilov.  nf 
i\u^  Xadezhda.  S(icii'l,\ .  luirdlciikd,  ii1'  the  Xm-lhrrn  lnsiira.nce  Society.  N'iadi- 
slavlev.  Ixiissian  liiMii-ami'  and  (loods  Traiisiioi't  Society.  I.e.slievits,  llic 
Salainander  Society,  liomaiiov.  liu.ssian  Society  for  in.surance  of  Capital  and 
Income  of  Ib.'io.  Tet.slcov,  tlie  .Vnciior  Insurance  Society.  i\liao\',  Second  l{uss- 
ian  In.surance  Society.  Shmuriigin,  tlie  K'us.sian  Fii-e  In.sni'ance  Society, 
i/uiiin,  {{amensky's  Good.s'  Transport  Ollice. 

Hotels:  ,.Rnssia",  ^Eiirojie".  „Sil.)erian  ilotcd".  The  lirsl  and  second  are  the 
ijcst.  IJates,  rr(Hn  1^.  1  a  day.  1  )inner  vvitii  two  dislies,  ."lO  k.,  witli  lonr  dislies  \i.  1. 
Tlie  hotids  ai'e  fitted  with  t(dephones.  The  hest  furnished  rooms  belong  to 
l'>ar:inov  and  Khvi'irov.  Hackney-coach  tariff:  twelve  hours  in  tlie  day  or 
niuht.  K'.  2,  an  hour  :i()  k..  a  ilrive  2ii  k.  To  the  lailway  station  or  back  7.'i  k. 
To  the  landiuLi'-plai-e  of  ('herenieshniki  oi-  bai-k  K',  1. 


River  Tom,  near  town  of  Tomsk. 

Amon.i;'  the  liisiorical  events  nia.y  be  mentioned  the  visits  of  Imperial 
personages.  The  first  visit  took  place  in  1868,  and  was  paid  b.\-  the  Cirand 
huke  Vladimir  Alexandrovieh.  In  1S7;i,  the  town  was  visited  by  the  (irand 
Duke  Alexis  Ahixandrovich. 

In  1891,  the  inhabitants  of  Tomsk  had  the  honour  of  rc.'ceiving  an  Inipei'- 
ial  traveller,  the  jiresent  Emperor  Xi(diolas  H,  then  Heir  Apparent  to  the 
throne.  The  Tsesar6vich  arrived  from  Irkiitsk  by  the  Siberian  post-road  and 
continued  his  journey  from  Tomsk  by  tbi'  rivers  Tom.  nb  and  Irtysh.  iiassing 
llu'nugb  the  towns  of  Tobolsk  and  ttnisk. 


Lake  Baikal. 


Position  and  extent  of  the  lake. — Surrounding  mountains,  their  geo- 
logical formation. — Capes,  superstitions  and  legends. — Earthquakes. — 
Tributaries  and  sources. — The  water  and  its  temperature. — Winds. — 
Ice-cover. — Flora  and  Fauna. — Commercial  importance  of  the  Baikal 
aquatic  fauna.  —  Navigation  and  steamship  communication  on  i 
Baikal  and  its  river  basins. — Surveys  for  the  Circumbaikal 
Ice-breaker.     Bibliography, 


T 


ME  BAIKAL,  one  of  the  largest  alpine  lake.s  in  the  world, 
is  called  the  Hol.v  Sea  b.v  the  local  Russian  )>o|ni- 
lation.  It  is  the  lar.i^est  fresh-water  lake  in  the  old 
world,  and  lies  between  50^28'    and   SS'^oO'  N.   lat. 
and  73'2.i'  and  80°  E.  long.  The  Chinese  call  it  F'e- 
Khoi,   which    means   Northern    Sea,   the    Mongols, 
Dalai-Xor,    Holy    Sea   or    Bai-kul,    Rich    Sea.  The 
north    .Viiierican    Lakes,   Superior,    Michigan,  Huron  and  the  .Vfrican  X.vanza 
alone  siir|)ass  it  in  size.  The  extent  of  its  clear  surface  and  its  contiguration 
'f      recall    Lake    Tanganaika    situated    in    Central    Africa    in    proximit.v    to  the 
N.van/a. 

The  superficial  area  of  the  Baikal  is  30,0.^4  square  versts  (:i4,17y  square 
kilom.i,  its  lentrth,  6(X)  versts.  It  bends  slightl.v  from  south-west  to  north-east;  its 
bre.idth  is  not  so  considerable  and  varies  from  27  to  85  versts.  The  dei)th  of 
the  lake  in  its  southern  part,  sounded  b.v  Engineer  Bogoslovsky,  is  791  sea 
sazhens  or  3.185  feet.  Situated  1,561  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  bottom 
oi  the  lake  at  its  deepest  |)arts  is  much  lower  than  the  level  of  the  oce.m. 
.\ccording  to  the  smindinirs,  which  sive  but  a  slight  idea  of  the  reliel  of  the 
bottom,  it  may  be  said  that  the  bottom  of  the  lake  |)resents  an  immense 
I  basin,  with  deep  cavities  which,  at  some  places,  begin  at  the  shore  and  run 
almost  through  its  whule  extent. 


.S2S 


GUIDE  TO  TMK  OREAT  SIliEUlAN   RAILWAY. 


This  basin,  at  one-tliinl  of  its  entire  lens^th  from  the  south-west,  is 
divided  into  two  unequal  jiarts  by  a  submerged  ridge,  according  to  Drizhenko, 
who  has  investigated  the  lake,  composed  of  alluvium  brought  down  by  the 
river  Selenga  and  partly  by  the  Great  Buguld(Mka,  above  which  the  water 
is  not  more  than  234  sazhens  deep.  The  soundings  made  near  the  shore 
shew  that,  although  the  cavities  at  some  places  begin  close  to  the  shore, 
there  are  considerable  areas  where  the  water  has  a  depth  of  only  30  sazhens. 
The  largest  of  these  areas  lying  under  water  occur  along  the  mouth  of  the 
Selenga.  the  Chivirkulskaya  Bay,  the  delta  of  the  Upper  Angara  and  the 
Little  Sea.  It  may  be  supposed  that  the  bottom   near  the   shore  represents 


The,  Baikal,  Little  Baranchiik.  source  of  the  Angara  (phot,  by  Drizhenko). 


the  continuation  of  the  surrounding  relief,  which  retains  its  various  forms 
under  the  surface  of  the  water. 

The  mountains  bordering  the  valley  of  the  Baikal  rise  in  several  elevated 
ridges,  which  give  a  peculiarly  picturesque  and  imposing  beauty  to  this 
region.  The  mountains  on  the  western  side  of  the  lake  are  called  Baikal 
Mountains  and  consist  of  two  parallel  ridges,  the  Littoral  and  Onotsk  chains 
The  mountains  on  the  shore  are  known  under  the  name  of  Transbaikal 
Mountains,  dividing  the  rivers  Selenga  and  Barguzin  into  three  parts:  on  the 
south-west  stands  the  Khamar  Daban,  in  the  centre,  the  Selenga  Barguzin 
Mountains,  on  the  north-east,  those  of  Barguzin-Angaril.  The  absolute  height 
of  the  mountain  summits  does  not  exceed  6,000  feet,  or  4,500  above  the  level 
of  the  lake. 

Almost  all  the  elevations  surrounding  the  Baikal  consist  of  granite  blocks 
and  gravel;  syenite,  gneiss,  crystalline  slates  and  porphyry  alternating  with 
old  limestone,  sandstone  and  seams  of  breccia.  The  investigations  made  by 
Chersky  shewed  that  the  mountains  standing  near  and  on  the  shore  of  lake 
Baikal  contain  seven  geological  systems:  archaean  constitues  the  leading 
system;  silurian.  bordering  on  the  northern  slope,  contain  the  first  system: 
devonian,  abounding  in  red  sandstone  occurs  on  the  Angara;  Jurassic,  com- 
posed of  clayey  limestone;  tertiary  system  of  sandstone,  soft  clay  and  lime- 
stone of  aqueous  formation:  post  tertiary  and  recent  formations.  Volcanic 
eruptions  were  found  on  the  south-western  side  of  the  lake,  X.— W.  ni 
Khamar  Dal)an. 

The  surrounding  mountains  assume  peculiar  shapes  and,  protruding  into 
the  water,  form  numerous  capes  of  which  80,  more   characteristic   than   the 


LAKE  BAIKAL. 


329 


oIluTs.  havi'  rcciMvi'il  iiainos  acfonlinir  to  tluMr  sliapi- nr  colour,  or  after  smiu' 
l>lant.  animal  or  tish  occiirrinir  tliorc  The  native  tribes  attaelieil  (liH'erenl 
siipersiiiioMs  legends  to  many  of  the  i-IjtVs  and  capes;  this  explains  why  many 


Lfstvennichnayo  (phot,  by  DrizhenkoX 

points  on  the  shi)i-e  of  the  stormy  Baikal  and  its  i.slands  enjoy  a  special  ven- 
eration to  the  present  day.  The  Biiriat  shaman.s  and  the  lama  priests  consid- 


er the  island  of  Olkhi'm  as  the  dwellinu-  place  of  thi'  evil  spirit  Heiriio/.i.  and 
offer  him  frequent  sacrifices.  The  .\cademician  (Jeoriri,  who  visited  the  island 
in  1772,  stated  that  the  numher  of  sacrifices  made  there  was  (|uite  astonish- 
ing. Monirolian  folklori'  connects  the  island  with  tales  of  I'vii-  ..ld.-<i  ii.r,. 
rhingiz-Khan,  saying  that  his  cam]!  lay  there. 

The    cape  at  the  upper  end  of  the  island,    as    stated    hy    1 11  i/ii' iiK".  pn- 
sents  a -strange  phenomenon:  a  peculiarly  shaped  and  immense  difl"  rises  from 

21a 


330 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


the  water's  edge  IVirming  a  narrow  hut  Inut;-  wall  whii'h,  rnim  a  cpilain 
point,  presents  a  iiert'ectly  regular  profile  several  sazliens  in  height,  ("tppos- 
ite  to  the  island  of  OIkhon.  a  large  peninsula,  railed  the  Holy  Cai)e,  protrudes 
from  the  eastern  shoi-e,  having  on  hoth  sides  the  deep  bays  of  f'hivirkiil 
and  Harguzin.  This  peninsula  has  the  form  of  a  regular  triangle,  in  the  middle 
of  which  a  mountain  ridge  stretches  for  a  distance  of  30  versts.  The  extreme 
mu'thern  end  of  the  peninsula  [iresents  a  high  wooded  almost  vertical  ridge 
with  a  craggy  summit,  from  which  Hows  a  liipiid  called  ^Imusha"  by  the 
Tungiis.  According  to  Georgi.  it  is  a  kind  of  mineral  oil  (vitroleuni  unctuosum): 
others  believe  it  t()  be  jtrodueed  by  the  decomposition  of  the  guano  of  cor- 
morants, herons,  seagulls  and  other  birds,  which  come  to  the  island  in  infin- 
ite numbers,  mainly  during  their 
migration.  The  rocky  Cape  Shaman 
is  situated  on  the  eastern  shore, 
north  of  the  Holy  Cape  (.5.")^  X.  hit). 
-Vmong  its  numerous  cliffs,  three  are 
very  high,  ri.sing  in  a  vertical  line 
to  a  height  of  200  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  lake.  One  of  them  has 
the  form  of  an  immense  head  with  a 
huge  nose  and  big  holes  instead  of 
eyes:  the  crevice  which  represents 
the  mouth  affords  shelter  to  flocks 
of  sea  cormorants  (Phalocrocorax 
carbo).  The  other  cliffs  consist  of 
dark  ijuartz -of  horny  formation.  The 
Tungi'is  give  the  name  of  Ivhamanril 
to  this  cape,  and  consider  the  first 
cliff  to  be  the  seagod  Dianda,  whili' 
the  other  two  represent  inferior 
deities.  The  .shamans  render  worshii> 
to  I'ianda,  in  order  that  he  may 
forbid  the  waves  to  drown  the  Tun- 
gus  falling  into  the  sea,  order  them 
to  drive  shoals  of  fi.sh  to  the  shore 
etc.  On  the  western  side,  to  the 
soutii  id'  olkhon,  the  Kolokolnaya 
(B(dl-toweri  Bay  is  very  picturesiiue:  it  is  so  called  on  account  of  twn 
cliffs  standing  on  both  sides  of  it  and  bulking  at  a  distance  like  two  bell- 
towers.  At  the  western  edge  of  the  Baikal,  the  Shaman  Cliff,  venerated  l)y 
the  Buriats,  stands  near  the  Kultiiksk  bay.  At  the  outflow  of  the  Angara, 
there  is  a  submerged  granite  cliff,  called  Shanianka,  with  a  circumference 
of  7  sazhens.  which  rises  for  only  one  sazhen  above  the  level  of  the  Baikal 
and  is  considered  by  the  Shamans  and  Lamas  to  be  the  dwelling  ])lace  of 
the  invincible  White  God,  to  whom  they  offer  sacrifices  on  this  cliff.  The  lake 
is  surrounded  by  places  which  are  held  in  veneratirm,  accounting  for  the 
name  of  Holy  Sea  given  to  the  lake. 

The  numerous  rocky  fragments  torn  from  the  main-land  found  all  around 
the  lake,  the  islands  lying  in  close  proximity  to  the  shore  and  retaining  traces 
(d'  their  former  identity  with  the  surrounding  mountains,  and  the  unfathom- 
able   depth    of  the    water   near    the    cliffs,    rising    above  its   surface,   testify 


Tiic  Bd 


T;; 


Uypc 


:iiQ  oi  the  Island  of  Olkhon. 


LAKE  BAIKAL. 


331 


■  1  tlif  viiik'iit  iiiMiiin  lit'  tile  lake,  (ieoriri  Ix'licvi-s  lluil  lln'  area  urcupifd  liy 
I  is  the  ciiiiiiniialiMii  ol'  tlic  valloy  of  tin-  Aii,iiar;i.  ami  tiiat  ilu'  liasiii  nf 
tin-  laku  was  fdi-iiu'd  li.\  a  sinking  prortuced  Ity  a  viol(>iil  L'artiii|uaki'.  wliicli 
I  '  ilu'  present  day  is  follnwed  liy  sliiiht  but  annual  tremors  of  the  sin-faee. 
\iTiirdinir  to  ohservaiions,  It  is  evident  that  earthijuakes  occur  more  tVeipi 
iiitlv'  in  the  envh-ons  of  the  lake  lyin.ir  to  the  south-west  near  Tiinka. 
tiearinir  traces  of  former  volcanic  eruptions. 

The  ridges  surrounding  the  Baik;'\l  give  rise  to  numerous  streams.  CherskN 
I'eckons  33H  triliutaries  to  the  hike,  among  which  the  most  imiiortant  are  the 
rp|>er  .\ngar;i.  falling:  into  the  lake  on  the  north-eastern  side:  tiie  Barguzin. 
almost  at  the  niidille  of  the  eastern  shoi-e:  liie  Seh>ng;i,  on  the  south-eastern 
^hore.  The  only  outflow  of  the  lake  is  throiti;h  the  l^ower  Angarii,  on  llie 
south-western  shore. 

The  water  of  the  Baikal  is  clear  and  trasjiai-ent.  Its  temperature  has  as 
yet  been  very  insutHciently  investigated,  and  is  only  now  being  examined 
Uy  the  expedition  under  Mrizhenko.  The  investigations  of  by<l()Vsky  anil 
•  iodli'vskx,  made  in   IsiiO — iSTti.  shewed    an    invariable    temperature    at   deep 


The  Baikal.  The  Posolsk  Monastery  of  the  Transfiguration  (phot,  by  Drizhcnko). 


places  and  a  slight  lluctuation  at  thr  surface  near  the  shore:  this  is  in  their 
npinion.  the  charact(>rislic  property  of  the  water  in  the  Baikal.  The  tempera- 
iiire  at  the  surface  of  the  lake  varies  and  does  not  exceed  in'  C,  at  a  great- 
er depth,  the  fluctuation  is  less,  and  4S  sazhens  deeji,  the  diflerence  between 
the  lowest  and  highest  temperatiin*  during  the  year  is  2'.  5,70  sazhens  deep, 
it  is  P  C.  still  deeper,  the  temperature  does  not  vary  during  the  year  and 
is-f  .3".  .=>  C.  On  the  surface  of  the  lake,  mostly  on  its  ea.stern  part,  between 
the  Holy  Tape  anil  the  mouth  of  the  Tiirka.  there  freiiuently  occurs  floating 
wax  or  ..bikerit".  which  is  u.sed  by  the  inhabitants  as  a  medicine  for  rheum- 
atism and  scurvy.  It  bin-ns  very  iiuickly  with  a  bright  flame  and  leaves 
much  soot.  This  substance  was  subjected,  by  Shaimirin  in  Irkutsk,  to  analysis 
l)y  dry  distillation:  (volatilisation  140'^  C)  8.44  per  cent  of  liquid  distillate— 
liurning  oil,  til. 17  jier  cent  of  .solids -paratin  of  the  he.st  quality.  In  connexion 
with  sea-wax.  springs  containing  an  oily  liquid  very  much  like  najditha  have 
been  discovered  at  the  liottoin  of  the  Baikiil.  opposite  to  the  Tiirka. 

The  climate  of  the  Baikal  is  very  severe,  the  summer   being    short    ,ind 
the  nights  cold.  The  meteorological  observations  of  the  Krizhenko  expedition 


332 


GUIDK  TO  TIIK  ORK.VT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


ar(>  licit  yd   |ir(i|ii'rl.\-  I'liilidrali'il,  hut  tnrinoi-  r\|iluralio!is  shew  lliai  X.  Iv  ami 
S.  ^^'.  winds  prmail. 

From  the  ciifi  nl'  May  iu  the  hi 'i;-!  nil  in;;-  nfjiilx,  a  X.  K.  wiml  with  Ihr 
local  name  of  „Biir!>-n7.in".  hhiws  mi  ilie  soiithcni  part  of  the  hike:  I'mni 
August,  there  is  the  .,Kultul<"  cnniiiiii'  frnm  the  X.  K.  'I'lir  strongest  wimis 
are  called  „Sorniii"  and  hlow  tViPiii  the  X.  W.  Thi'\  iimdiice  short  Init  hiirh 
waves,  wlii(-h  sometimes  rise  to  a  height  of  a  sazlieii;  at  tlie  same  time,  tlie 
wav(;s  are  so  rough  that  small  vessels  guided  hy  unskilled  hands  are  easily 
lost.  During  a  stoi'm,  the  waves  of  the  Haikiil  rise  to  li  or  7  feet.  Accoi-ding 
to  Georgi,  the  equilihriiim  of  the  water  and  air  is  very  easily  distiirhed  on 
account  of  the  extraordinary  unsteadiness  of  the  Baikal,  wliieh  is  i'\|ilaiiied 
hy  the  peculiar  lightness  and  the  great  iie|itli  of  the  water.  Storms  occur  freipi- 
eiitly  l>ut  are  of  no  long  duration,  hreakinir  against  the  surrounding  dills. 
Thunderstorms  gather  from  all  side.s  in  .summer,  but  never  pass  over  ilio 
lak(>.  In  -hiiie  and  July,  the  BaikAl  is  almost  calm.  During  this  lull,  numerous 
aquatic  plants  float  on  the  surface  of  the  water;  the  local  inhabitants  call 
this  time  the  „blossoming'' of  the  Baiki'il.  The  lake  begins  to  freeze  in  X'ovemb- 
er,  but  it  is  never  frost-bound  before  the  middle  of  December  or  the  beginn- 
ing of  .lanuar.v:  this  fact  cannot  be  explaiiii'd  by  tho  absence  of  cold,  luii 
only  by  the  unsteadiness  and  a,gitation  of  the  wator-siirface.  Being  frost- 
bound  for  a  |)eriod  of  4  to  P/2  months,  the  lake  has  an  ice-cover  sometimes 
91/2  feet  deep.  Sledge  traffic  lasts  for  three  months;  at  the  end  of  A|iril,  the 
ice  melts  near  the  shores  and  softens.  During  the  winter  time,  although  the 
ice-cover  is  very  thick,  wide  cracks  break  its  surface;  wIumi  it  meets  again, 
the  ice  piles  up  in  heaps  called  ,t6ros".  These  crevasses,  which  have  a  bi'eadth 
of  3  to  6  feet  and  more,  are  sometimes  a  verst  long  and  form  a  serious 
impediment  to  communii^ation  on  the  ice.  Their  origin  reniain.s  as  yet  ini(>x- 
lilained;  some  believe  that  the  ice  breaks  under  the  force  of  the  wind  and 
air  ]iressiire.  others  suppose  that  it  is  produced  by  the  ebb  and  flow,  but 
this  is  still  insufl'lciently  proved  by  science.  The  breaking  of  the  ice  surface, 
as  in  the  alpine  glaciers,  is  accompanied  by  a  loud  crash,  recalling  an  (>xplo.s-  V 
ion,  followed  by  a  long  rolling  noise.  The  crevice  is  instantly  filled  with  '^ 
water  to  the  level  of  the  ice,  formin.g  a  kind  of  river.  In  8 — 14  days  it  freezes  ^ 
again,  and  a  new  crevice  appi'ars  at  anotlier  place.  The  ice  melts  slowly  and 
this  process  lasts  nearly  two  months. 

The  Baikal  flora  is  of  the  same  nature  as  the  alpine  or  sub-alpine  flora. 
The  cra.g.gy  mountain  slopes  are  mostly  covered  by  Juniper,  service  trees, 
meadow-sweet,  wild  rose  and  other  Inishes.  The  wood  bordering  the  Baikal 
contains  some  foliage  trees,  but  inainl,\  consists  of  conil'era  such  as  lir.  ]iiiir. 
Siberian  ,,cedar"  and  others. 

The  fauna,  of  the  Baikal  is  very  varied  and  numbers  many  species;  it 
plays  an  important  part  in  the  industry  of  the  country.  The  Baikal  is  most 
plentifully  provided  with  fish  and  supplies  the  surrounding  district.  In  iho 
fish  industry,  the  omul  (Salmo  or  Coregonus  omul),  the  Baiki'il  gwiiiiad  (('ori'- 
gonus  baicalensis).  the  char  (Salmo  th.\niallus")  and  the  Salmo  fluvialilis 
occupy  the  first  place.  A  most  interesting  and  little  know^n  fish,  character- 
istic of  the  Baikal,  is  the  dracunculus  (Comephorus  baicalensis).  It  is  fi 
vershoks  lon.g,  the  head  occujiying  a  third  of  its  entire  len.iith;  the  eyes  are 
uncommonly  large  and  protruding;  from  the  gills  to  the  tail,  fins  are  attached 
on  each  side.  This  fish  occurs  in  the  deeiiesf  ]ilaces  of  th(>  lake  (over  -Ulo 
sazhens)  and  lives  under  the  ]iressui-e  of  an  iiiiinensi'  bod,\    of   water;  w  hen 


LAKE  BAIKAL. 


333 


I  he  Baikal.  Neii»ch:.TO/i  land;ng-placc  Mjaivaya. 


Iirniiirlit  lo  ihc  surfHro.  thr  (i.sh  i.s  torn  to  pieces  and  mclt.s  in  the  .sun.  This 
is  the  reason  why  nobody  ever  .saw  a  livinir  speeinien.  Some  of  (he  zouloir- 
isls  reckon  the  (h-aeuneiilus  to  the  speeies  of  fish  developing  llieir  ova  inside 
the  fish,  and  some  of  the  fish  traders  say  that  it  produces  two  little  fish 
alive.  .Vccording  to  the  investigations  of  Dybovsky,  the  Baikal  also  ahounds 
in  crustaceans  ((ianiarus)  and  gasteropods.  In  these  waters,  there  are  four 
kinds  of  spoHires  (Spongia  haie.ilensis,  S.  bacillifera,  S.  intermedia,  S.  papiracea) 
of  a  dark  emerald  ccdour. 
containing  much  chlorn- 
phyl.  The  inhabitants 
use  a  fresh  sponge  for 
polishing  coi)i>er  (.tea- 
urns  etc.),  and  a  dried 
sponge  is  employed  to 
polish  metals  by  the 
silvi-rsmiths  of  Irkutsk; 
the  lower  <-lasses  attrili- 
ute  to  it  medicinal  pro- 
perties. 

Among     the      most 
chai-acteristic      inhabit- 
ants of  the    Baikal  wat- 
ers  is    the   seal  iPhoca 
baicalensts)  called  „ner- 
pa"  by  the  local  inhabit- 
ants   and   khansaganun    by  the    Burials.  This  form  is  exclusively  projier   to 
the    Baikal    and  recalls    the  Euroi)ean  Phoca  annelata.  The  local   population 
kill  the  ni'rpa  during  the  whole  summer,  from  the  end  of  .June,  and    employ 
the  skins  of  the  young  animals  in  making  valuable  over-coats  called  ,dokh;i". 

The  inhospitable  Baikal  is  designed  by  nature  herself  to  be  the  chief 
way  of  communication  with  the  contiguous  country,  which  is  covered  by 
mountain  ridges  and  has  no  other  overland  communications  beyond  a  few 
inipracticalde  paths.  .Mready  at  the  end  of  the  XVll  century,  the  Baikal 
possessed  a  navy  which  served  for  postal  communications. 

At  the  present  time,  the  navigation  of  the  Baikal,  connected  with  that 
of  the  rivers  Selenga  and  Angara,  reaching  to  the  bars,  is  in  the  hands  «i 
the  Xemchinov  Company,  owning  10  steamers  and  18  barges.  Besides  these, 
there  are  only  a  few  sailing  craft  on  the  Baikal,  belonging   to   fish   traders. 

.Xemchinov  and  Co.  make  the  f.dlowing  trips  on  the  Baikal:  from  the 
landing-place  of  Listvennichnaya  to  the  Upper  Angara,  calling  at  the  Tiirka 
mineral  springs:  between  Listvennichnaya  and  Mvsovjiya,  from  one  side  of  thr 
Baikiil  to  the  other:  from  Listvennichnaya  to  the  niouih  of  the  Selenga  and 
furtlier  towards  the  towns  of  Verkhneudinsk  and  Selenginsk,  to  the  landing- 
place  of  Biliuta  in  the  direction  of  Kiiiklita. 

On  the  2:!  June  ism.  the  present  Knipcror  .Vicholas  II,  on  his  way  from 
the  Far  East  crossed  Lake  Baikal  an  the  steamer  .Speransky"  from  the  land- 
ing-idace  Boyarskaya  to  the  source  of   the  Angara  ami    further   to   Irkutsk. 

With  a  view  to  comply  with  the  Imperial  command,  relative  to  the  cstali- 
lishnient  of  uninterruiited  railway  communication  from  the  Cral  to  the 
Paciti<'  Littoral,  surveys  were  conducted  with  a  view  to  surmount  the  ditne- 
ulties   connected    with  the  construction  of  a  railway    line    round  tlv    M.nkMl. 


334 


GUIDE    TO  THK  GUKAT  SIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


skirting  the  lake  from  the  south.  The  preliminai-y  surveys,  made  l).\-  Kngineer 
Viiizemsky  in  1888— 1S90,  shewed  the  ])i)ssibility  of  Rstal)lishin{i-  a  railway 
route  from  Irkutsk  up  the  valley  of  the  Irkut  which,  apjiroaching  the  lake 
near  the  settlement  of  Kultuk,  should  proceed  further  nlong  its  shore  to  the 
landin.ii-place  of  .My.sovaya  and  join  the  Transl)aikal  line.  In  order  to  straight- 
i-n  the  line  and  to  avoid  the  eonstruotion  of  elevated  viaducts  in  tlie  i)ass 
of  Zyrianskaya  Luka,  formed  by  the  Irkiit  breaking  through  the  Zyrkuzun 
Chain,  the  construetinn  of  a  tunnel  of  iTitO  sazhens  was  projected.  Tlu'  total 
lengtli  of  the  line  comi)rised  282  vcrsts.  at  a  cost  of  R.  2'),n(K),UKi,  or  \i. 
SO.dOO  per  verst.  In.  1894,  the  ex])edition  of  Engineei'  Adrianov  tried  to  take 
the  line  from  the  sunimit  of  the  neighbouring  mountains  towards  tlif  head 
waters  of  the  rivers  Olkha.  tributary  of  the  Irkut,  and  the  K'rutaya  (luba. 
falling  into  Lake  Baikal.  From  1895  to  189(i.  the  o'vpodiiioii  of  KngiiU'ci-  Doks 
rejieated  the  surveys  of  Engineer  Vl;izemsky.  and  made  exiiloi-ations  in  fresh 
directions,  with  a  view  to  cn'iss  the  Baikal  Mountains    and    to    approach    the 


The  Baikal.  Mole  at  the  landing-place  of  Mysov^ya. 


Baikal  along  the  rivers  Polovinnaya  and  .\ngasolka.  .Ml    the   surveys    which  ■ 
have  been  made  shew  that  the  construction  of  this  line  offers  great  technic- 
al difficulties.  The  project  of  Engineer  Doks  included  a  tunnel    of  3' 2  versts.j 
with  an  estimated  cost  of  R.  80,000  per  verst,  and  a  total  length  of  291  versts. 
In  189S,  the  exiiedition  of  Engineer  Savremovich  again  conducted  surveys  for 
the  line  round  Ihe  Baikal  in  other   directions. 

The  explorations  made  in  the  environs  of  the  Baikal,  within  range  ot  the 
lU'ojected  Gircumbaikal  line,  shewed  the  different  nature  of  the  country  from 
Irki'itsk  to  the  settlement  of  Kultuk,  and  from  the  settlement  to  the  station 
of  Mysovaya. 

The  first  western  section  contains    several  valleys,  which  are  favourably  j 
situated  for  the  gradual  ascent  to  the  watershed  of  the   rivers    Irkiit   and  of| 
the  rivers  falling  into  the  Baikal,  allowing  of  the  line  being  taken  in  different' 
directions,  whereas  in  the  eastern  section  only  one  direction  can  be  adopted, 
running  along  the  shore  and  the  valley  of  the  Baikal. 

With  a  view  to  establish  the  most  advantageous  route  in  the  \\•(^slere 
section,  four  directions  were  surveyed  in  1898  by  the  expedition  under  JMigin- 
eer    Savremovich    from  the   Midsiberian    line    to    the   settlement   of    Kultiik: 

1)  From  tlie  station  of  lniiok('ntievska\M  alon^-  the  left    ii.'ink  of  tlie  Irkiit 


LAKE  BAIKAL. 


335 


^icross  tlie  Zyrku/iin  ridirctii  the  sfttlcmcnt  ol'  Kiiltuk.  m-  aliinir  tlip  risrht  bank 
rif  th»'  Irkut  a|iiir<iiK'liinir  tho  .staliim  of  Irkiilsk. 

2)  Frnin  tlu-  station  of  Innok("ntit'vsk;t.\  a  1)\  thi'  valleys  of  the  (ireat 
iilklia  and  the  I\rutiiya  (iiili;i.  and  further  ah)n!i'  tlie  sliore  of  thi>  Baikal  to 
the  settlement  of  luilti'ik. 

:{)  From  thi-  si'tth'inenl  of  lielekiitoi  situated  ai    the    iMiii    verst    id'  tiie  11 


The  BaikSl  settlement  of  Kulluk. 


section  of  tlie  Midsiijei'ian  rail\va.\'  line,  across  the  Tiiiikiii  ridire.  to  the  settle- 
ment of  Kiiltuk. 

4)  From  the  station  of  Haikal  a  l)i-ancii  line  to  the  Baikal,  along  the  shoi-e 
of  the  lake  to  the  settlement  nf  Kultiik. 

Anion.iT  these  foutes,  the  first,  running  from  IniiokiMitievskaya  to  the 
station  of  My.soviiya  for  a  distance  of  2HS  versts,  and  the  last,  along  the 
Baikal  to  the  station  of  Mysov;iya  243  versts  in  length,  are  considered  the 
most  suitable. 

Final  surveys  of  these  two  routes  in  connexion  with  geological  exidora- 
tions  are  being  made,  and  the  results  obtained  will  serve  to  fix  the  jirecise 
direction  ef  the  Circumiiaik;il  railway  line.  In  the  eastern  section,  admitting 
only  ont>  route,  the  line  will  run  along  the  shore  of  the  Baikiil.  Starting  at 
the  station  of  K'ultiik,  the  line  of  the  eastern  section  runs  first  through  a 
swampy  meadow,  (-rosses  the  Kultuchnaya  by  a  bridge  and,  traversing  at  the 
3  verst  the  Shaman  Cape,  proceeds  by  a  sandy  valley  separating  Shaman 
from  the  Baikid,  \l  the  9  verst,  spurs  of  the  Khanuir  Dabtin,  jiressing  closely 
to  the  Baikal,  [irevent  the  line  being  taken  along  the  shoi-e;  its  course  passes 
throuirh  cliffs  stretching  for  a  distance  of  a  vi-ist. 

.\t  the  11  and  12  verst,  the  line  runs  through  the  abrupt  and  steep  ('ajie 
Kerkiihii.  protruding  far  into  the  lake  and  iiresenting  a  heap  of  fragments 
from  the  clitt".  At  this  place,  the  Baikal  is  very  dei'p  near  the  shore,  there  is 


336 


GUIDE  TO  TIIK  GREAT  SIBEUI  \N    RAil.WAY. 


no    strip    of    land    noar    tlic    watoi-.    and    the    Capi'    has     to    lu'    travriscd 
!)>■  a  cuttinir  ai   its  nannwcsi  poini     lii'lw  I'cn    ihi'    -''il    and    tin-   47  viTst.  the 


Rs                '  » 

m 

■  t 

■f^.^J&' 

-H    pr 

^Pfl 

s 

9 

■'.»'-     1 

■■ 

'i-i-,     ■ 

i 

'•••'■ 

§ 

iS'  t 

\ 

M} ' 

1 

BSll'^' 

jHsffi  I 

' 

j^^V'  1 

' 

^Kfi,-  ' 

■M' w  ^ 

M» 

I^K  - 

■jr'^  r 

■ 

■  ^ . 

H 

^BBS^ 

^^S ' 

|k|Sl 

^^H 

^^Heb 

^^^K^ 

'  w 

■| 

s 

mountain  spurs  retroat  Irom  liio  liaik;il.  iorniinir  an  undiiiaiinu- platoau;  hen; 
the  line  leaves  Iho  lake,  skirts  the  setllenicnt  of  Ululik  and  at  the   47    verst. 


I.AKi:  UAIKAI..  337 

airain  a|>|iniaclics  ilu-  l^aikjil.  Fiom  ilic  IT  lo  iln-  .i.i  vcrst.  llic  line  runs  li.\ 
a  sk'i'p  sli)|K'  intorsectiul  hy  slroains  and  s|)rinns  and  criissi-s  tlu'  Sm'zlinax  a. 
the  larirpst  river  in  the  Kiiituk-Mysuvaya  section.  At  liie  ll.i  verst.  tlie  line 
traverses  the  Pereyeninaya  witliin  a  verst  of  its  mouth,  throuiih  a  loeality 
contained  between  hiirh  capes,  jnttinu-  into  the  lai\e.  .\l  iIk^  lis  verst.  tlie 
line  enters  a  level  plateau  and  follows  the  shore;  at  the  1811  and  140  verst,  it 
Vims  through  the  valle.v  of  the  Mishikha,  avoiding;  Cape  Kliucv.  and.  at  the 
l.Vj  verst  after  havinji-  passed  over  thi>  river  M.vsov;iya.  turns  al)rupll.\  and 
joins  the  Transbaikiil  line  at  the  station  of  M\sov;\ya.  The  total  leniith  of 
the  eastern  section  is  lti2.04  vei'sts:  it  is  projected  a<'cordingto  .spec'itications 
adopted  in  level  sections,  hut  admits  4.1  per  cent  oi  curv(>s  with  a  radius  of 
l.i(»  sazhens  and  grades  of  .0(1(5.  Part  of  the  line  in  the  eastern  section  has 
heen  in  process  of  construction  since  18!»9,  for  a  distance  of  40  versts  from 
Mysnvaya  to  Pereyeninaya.  The  construction  of  this  i)art  of  the  line  to  tln' 
station  id'  Pereyeninaya.  standing  on  the  other  side  of  the  lake  opposite  to 
the  station  of  Baikal,  will  otVer  a  much  shorter  way  for  passengers  and  goods 
than  the  storiin    lake.  * 

The  exploration  of  the  mountainous  ccniiitry  ciuitiguous  to  the  soutliei-n 
part  of  the  Baikal  basin,  in  connexion  with  the  difficult  technical  conditions 
attached  to  the  construction  of  an  uninterrupted  Great  Siberian  main  line, 
evoked  the  scheme  for  building  a  special  steam-ferry  for  the  transport  of 
trains  over  the  Baikal,  which  was  to  be  su|iplied  with  icebreaking  appliances 
and  should  establish  continuous  steam  coniiuunication  between  the  terminus 
of  the  Midsiberian  railway  line  on  tlie  Baikiil  ;lnd  the  starting  point  <i1  the 
Transbaikiil  line. 

The  application  in  the  old  world  of  tht.'se  means  of  transport  for  trains, 
as  in  the  I'nited  States  ellectetl  with  the  help  of  icebreakers,  is  entirely 
due  to  the  initiative  of  Prince  Khilkiiv.  Minister  id' Ways  of  Communication. 
who  first  saw  the  advanta^^e  of  applyluir  icebreakers  to  K'ussian  marine  and 
river  navigation. 

The  icebreaker  „Baikiil"  was  I'onslrueted  at  the  works  id  Armstrong  in 
Kngland  for  the  transport  of  trains  over  the  Baikal.  It  was  forwarded  in  se- 
parate pieces,  which  were  put  together  on  the  shore  of  the  lake.  The  fittings 
and  the  en.irines,  boilers,  water-pumpin.ir  machinery  etc.  were  made  here. 
For  the  launching  of  the  ship,  stoi-ks  were  built  under  and  above  the  water; 
their  construction  offered  great  difficulties  on  accrmnt  of  the  rockj'  shores 
and  the  freijuent  storms  on  the  Baikiil. 

The  icebreaker  was  put  together  by  K'ussiiin  workmen,  who  were  p:u'tly 
brought  from  St.  Petersburg.  The  general  snpi>rvision  of  thi>  construction  of 
the  icebreaker  and  of  the  docks  was  entrusted  to  the  ship  engineei-  Zabliitsky. 

The  icebreaker  is  made  of  solid  Siemens  and  Marten  steel.  Entii-e  len.gth 
21H.I  feet,  beam  .57  feet,  draught  18  feet  fore  and  20  feet  all,  speed  20' '2  versts. 
I'isidiuenient  with  full  cargo  4,200  tons.  The  icebreaker  is  provided  with 
three  triide-expansion  engines  with  a  lotiil  of  :!,7.')it  H.  P.  Two  engines  are 
placed  in  the  stern  and  are  separated  by  ;i  longiludinid  water-ti.ght  parti- 
tion: they  work  the  propellers  of  the  icebreaker.  An  engine  in  the  fore  part 
of  the  vessel  serves  to  work  the  forescrew  breaking  the  ice.  The  screws  are 
provided  with  four  paddles.  There  are  If)  cylindrical  boilers  en<'losed  in  two 
compiu-tiiKMits  divided  by  transverse  Wiiter-tiirhl  partitions. 

The  icebreidver  contains  biilhist  distributed  in  different  tiinks  lii'twi-en 
the  double  bottnm  of  tin'  ship  .ind  iilso  t'oi-e  ;ind  aft.  Iioldimi- .')8o  tmis  id' water. 


338 


GUIDK  TO  TIIIC  GKKAT  SIBKRIAX  RAILWAY. 


The  belt,  nil  till' water  liiu",  cunsisls  of  .steel  phite.s  an  inch  thick,  the  sheathing 
is  even  and  with  inner  layer.s.  W  ith  a  view  to  .stop  the  hlows  of  the  ice  a 
gain.st  the  hull  of  the  ship  and  to  render  more  solid  its  inner  side,  throughout 
its  length  at  the  level  of  the  ice  it  is  provided  with  wooden  wcdgeshaped 
(diocks  (-overed  with  longitudinal  beams:  thus  the  timhei-  belt  lias  a  thickness 
of  about  2  feet. 

This  icebreaker  is  somewhat  like  .Xansen's  famous  .Pram'*,  with  stem 
and  stern  adapted  for  icebreaking.  capable  of  forward  and  backward  motion. 
It  cari'ies  2.5  loaded  waggons  placed  on  the  maindeck  on  three  jiairs  of  rails 
laid  along  the  axis  of  the  shi[i:  the  cal)ins  on  the  upjier  deck  accomodate 
about  150  passengers.  The  ship  breaks  the  ice  to  a  depth  of  4  feet.  In  addi- 
tion to  this  icebreaker,  which  is  the  second  in  the  world  in  size,  another  has 
Ijeen  constructed  at  the  station  ot  Listvennichnaya.  It  has  received  the  name 
nf  ..\ngara",  and  is  smaller  than  the  first.  Length  195  feet,  beam  M.  draught 
15  feet,  speed  12V2  knots.  The  engine  is  ti'iple-expansion  with  1,250  11.  R: 
there  are  four  boilers  on  the  locomotive  type.  The  engine  and  boilers  are 
also  separated  hy  a  transverse  watertight  partition.  The  construction  of  this 
icebreaker  will  be  completed  in  the  autumn  of  1900  It  well  serve  mainly  for 
the  transport  of  i)assengers. 

For  the  repair  of  this  vessel,  wooden  docks  have  been  built  on  the  Baikal. 
The  landing-places,  Baranchiik  on  the  western  side  and  .Mysciv.iya  on  the 
eastern,  are  provided  with  protecting  moles  and  dams. 

The  cost  of  the  whole  steam  communication,  including  landinii-places, 
amounts  to  R.  5,t321,0(». 

.Vfter  the  completion  of  the  Circumbaikal  line,  which  will  cunnect  the 
Midsiberian  and  the  Transbaikal  railways,  the  icebreaker  might  be  employed 
with  some  success  for  purposes  of  navigation  on  the  Baikal,  and  serve  to 
develop  trade  and  industry  in  the  Transbaikal  region,  ])lentifully  supplied 
with  mineral  wealth. 

The  measures  due  to  the  hydrographic  expedition  of  Di-izhenko  have 
already  much  contributed  to  the  jtrogress  of  navigation  on  the  Baikal.  It 
established  two  beacons  on  the  lake,  which  project  their  light  for  a  great 
distance  over  the  stormy  and  unfriendly  waters.  One  of  the  beacons  stands  on 
the  Olkhon  Strait,  on  the  cliff  called  Mare's  Head,  at  a  height  of  45  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  Baikal.  The  other  is  placed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Selengii. 
rising  4is  feet  above  the  level  of  the  lake.  Both  beacons  burn  with  a  white 
and  constant  light,  reaching  for  a  distance  of  is  -2n  versts.  They  are  111 
every  day.  and  burn  fi'oni  sunset  to  sunrise. 


Bl  BL10<il;.\IMl  V: 


Land  administratinn  in  A.sia.  Eastern  Siberia.  St.  Pligr.  Is79.  Ritler.  Record  of  the  ireolopi- 
cal  explorations  of  tlie  Baik;il  shore.  .Memoirs  of  the  Silierian  hnmch  of  the  Ini|ierial  (leoi;ra|iliieal 
Society,  vol.  .\I,  1H74.  .\1I.  ISSti,  h\  Cliersky.  lAploration  of  the  Baikal.  News  of  the  Imperial 
Kus.sian  (ieographical  Society,  hy  Dnhovsky  and  llodlevsky.  The  Baikal  Koview.  Works  of  the 
F.ast  Siberian  Branch  of  the  Imperial  (leotrraphical  Society.  Irkfttsk.  1.S97.  Exploration  of  Lake 
Baikal     in  lS9ti.  Meinnirs  nf  the  liM|ierinl   Unssian  (ieoirrapliical  Societ\.  St.   PIil''.  IS97.    Krizheiiko. 


The  Transbaikal  Territory. 


— -M- 

Its  geographical  position  and  extent.  —  Configuration  of  the  territory.  —  Hydrography  and 

the  progress  of  navigation.  —  Geological  structure  and  mineral    wealth.  —  Iron    mines.  — 

Coal  mines. —  Silver  lead  mines.  —  Copper  and  tin  mines.    -  Mercury.  —  Precious  stones. 

Salts.  —  Mineral  springs.    —    Climate.    —   Flora  and    fauna.  —  Historical    review    of 

the  Transbaikal.  —  Population.  —  Peasants.  —  The  Transbaikal  Cossack  troops  and  their 

organisation.  -  Natives:    Tungiis  and  BuriSts.  —  Town      population.  —  Emigrants.  —  The 

Nerchinsk  penal  settlement. — Exile  settlers. — Land  tenure  and  exploitation.— Industries. — 

Agriculture  and  cattle-breeding.  —  Fishing.  —  Hunting.  —  Forestry.  — Carriage  by  road.  — 

Mining     industry.  —  Domestic     industry.  —  Manufactories     and    works.  —  Trade.  —  The 

-thodox  church.  —  Lamaism  —  Public  education.  —  Influence   of    the    Siberian    Railway 

upon  the  economic  growth  of  the  region.  —  Bibliography. 


T 


HS'T'i'san  s  1.  ;ii  k  al- 

ifTritory.   t'<irniin^"^-| 

piirt   of  the  .\nii'ii'  _  

tiTriti>ry  under  llio  nilministratioi\jif~a'7T(v\^»rniii;rGoncral,  lies 
lietwren  49"  ,'.4'  and  .=>7'*.N.  lal.,  nnd'T'iOlS"  and  iM'riii^  Ic^ig.  '^nd 
cnmprises  an  area  of  about  56.l^aB^0  desiatins  or  IV^.STBS  S(iiiare 
\<rsls;  if  .surpasspsin  size  Austrr?nunu'nf>'.  normanV  and  ninny 
"tlior  European  countries. 

For   purpo.sos    of   intrrnal   adininistratii'ni.    tln'    territory    is 

1    divided  into  tiie  followinir  s  very  irn'gtilar  di.stricis: 

^'%  1)  Barguzinsk.  2)  Yerkiineudinsk.  3)  Seienijinsk,  4  Troitsko- 

^. J.  Siivsk,  5)  Chita,  6)  Akchinsk,  7)  Nerchinsk,  s)  Xerchinsk  Works. 

T.'iT?  On  the  west,  this  region  is  bounded   by   the  government  of 

(  Irki'itsk,  on  the  north  by  the  Yaki'itsk  territory,  on  the  east  by  the 

>      Ami'ir   territory  coming  up  on    the   south-east  to  tlie    boundaries  of  the 

Chinese  Empire. 

The  whole  surface  of  this  territory  is  essentially  mountainous,  with  the 
exception  of  the  narrow  steppe  stretching  between  the  rivers  Onon  and  Argun. 
The  Yablonovy  Chain,  running  through  the  territory  from  south-west  to 
north-east,  divides  it  into  twn  almost  e'lual  plateaus:  the  north-western  part 
of  it  bears  the  name  of  Baikiil-i 'aiiria.  while  on  the  south-east  it  is  called 
Xerchinsk-Daiiria  after  the  „Daiirs",  who  were  the  former  inhabitants  of 
this  country. 

The  Yalilonovy  Chain  commences  in  the  Chinese  territory  at  the  mountain 
masses  of  Kentei.  Upon  entering  the  Transbaikal  territory,  it  sends  out  the 
mountain-chain   of  Ghokondo,  rising  to  an  elevation  of  8,000    feet  above    the 


340  GUIDE   TO  THE  GREAT  SlBEltlAN   RAILWAY. 

level  of  the  sea.  The  Baikal-Dauria  presents  a  country  which  consists  of 
narrow  and  level  valleys,  separated  from  each  other  by  mountain  ridges  with 
uplands  lying  between.  Many  of  these  ridges  rise  to  a  considerable  height 
above  sea-level  and  some  of  their  peaks,  called  ,goltsy",  reach  the  line  of 
perjietual  snow.  Leaving  these  mountains,  tlie  Ulan  Burg;'isi  stretches  to  the 
north  and  the  Khamar  Daban  to  the  south,  bordering  the  southern  bank  of 
the  Baikal,  with  its  desert  and  steep  cliffs.  The  Nerchinsk-Dauria  has  a  more 
level  surface.  The  Nerchinsk  ridge,  running  in  a  long  line  I'mm  south  to 
north  with  an  altitude  of  from  about  3,050  to  4,1.')0  feet,  tnrnis  tiic  watershed 
of  the  river  systems  of  the  Argun  and  Shilka.  The  mountains  of  this  plateau 
covered  with  thick  woods,  assume  softer  outlines,  and  are  considerably  lower 
than  those  of  the  western  part  of  the  territory.  .\s  they  approach  the  Chin- 
ese frontier,  the  mountains  become  lower  and  the  plains  widen,  especially 
along  the  rivers  Argun.  Onon  and  Aga  beyond  the  limits  of  Mongolia,  grad- 
ually passing  into  the  desert  steppe  Gobi. 

The  water  systems  which  enliven  this  i-egion  lielong  to  the  Baikal,  Lena 
and  Amtir  basins. 

The  Selenga  is  the  most  important  river  in  the  Baikal  basin;  taking  its' 
rise  in  Mongolia,  it  crosses  its  boundary  near  Kiakhta  and.  entering  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  Transbaikal  territory,  waters  its  most  fertile  districts: 
Troitsko-Savsk.  Selenginsk  and  Verkhneudinsk.  The  total  length  of  the  Selengd 
is  about  1.2,)0  versts;  it  is  navigable  within  Russian  territory  for  a  distance 
of  350  versts  Separating  into  several  branches,  it  falls  into  the  Baikal  by  a 
delta.  .\t  present  the  commercial  traffic  by  the  Selenga  mainly  consists  ofl 
tea  transport,  amounting  from  .500,000  to  8UO,000  puds  during  the  navigation 
season  Thousands  of  puds  of  grain,  barrels  of  spirit,  wool  and  other  pro- 
duce are  annually  forwarded  by  the  waterways.  Upon  the  opening  of  traffic 
on  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  the  Selenga  will  undoubtedly  acquire  a  still 
greater  importance  as  a  trade  waterway  from  China  and  Mongolia  to  Russia, 
although  the  greater  part  of  the  tea  transport  will  be  transferred  to  the 
railway.  The  Selenga  is  frost-bound  from  the  end  of  October  to  the  middle 
of  .Vpril,  the  water  level  varying  within  the  limit  of  a  sazhen. 

The  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  is  one  of  the  chief  imiiediments  lying 
in  the  way  of  regular  navigation.  Small  river  steamboats  and  flat-bottomed 
barges  of  unsolid  construction  do  not  venture  to  cross  the  stormy  Baikdl 
whereas  the  vessels  plying  on  the  lake,  having  a  deep  draught,  cannot  enter 
the  branches  of  the  Selenga;  for  this  reason,  the  goods  are  transferred 
from  the  river  barges  to  the  lake  barges  and  back  again  at  the  Junction  of 
the  river  with  the  Baikal. 

In  1894,  navigation  on  the  Selenga  and  im  Lake  Baikal  was  maintained 
by  the  Kiakhta  Steamboat  Comjiany;  at  present,  the  company  has  stopped  ita 
operatiims  and  the  whole  fleet  and  the  landing-i)laces  belong  to  the  General  .\n- 
gara.  Baikal  and  Selenga  Navigation  Co,  Ijelonging  to  the  merchant  Nenichinov. 
Pour  iron  passenger  tow-steamers  with  20  to  80  H.  P.  and  IS  wooden  barges 
with  a  tonnage  of  3,000  to  22,000  puds  are  kept  by  Nemchinov  for  navigation 
on  the  Selenga.  The  absence  of  competition  leaves  Mr.  Nemchinov  free  to 
fix  rates,  which  consideral)ly  exceed  the  real  cost  of  transport  l>y  this 
waterway. 

Within  the  confines  of  Mongolia,  the  Selenga  receives  two  important 
tributaries:  the  Edingol  on  the  left,  and  the  Orkhon  on  the  right.  Entering 
into  Russian  territorv,  it  is  joined  on  the  loft  by  the  rivers  Dzhida,  Temnik, 


THE  TKAXSBAIK/VL. 


341 


r.-iiii^i's. 


Valley  of  the  Khiluk. 

lisclinrso   tlio  mass  of  tlicir  waters  inti 


auil  Oroiuiiiii.  takiiiv:  their  rise  on  the  sniilhcrii  slupc  ol'  Khamar-hahan. 
The  basin  of  these  rivei's  has  an  essentially  nunintainous  eharacter  with  the 
exception  of  their  lower  reaehes,  wliieh  are  suiiahle  for  atiriculture  ami 
callle-hreedini:.  From  theri-rht.  three  lar.i,'e  rivers:  the  Ciiikoi.  Kiiiliik  and  L'da 
takinsi  their  rise  in  the  western  sinpe  ..f  the  Y.'ililenDvy  chain,  lail  intntheSelentra. 

TheChikoi.  although 
havinii  a  rapid  current, 
is  navigahle  its  lower 
ifaches  for  a  distance 
of  about  2')0  versts.  The 
valley  of  this  river  is 
most  fertile,  and  has  an 
exclusively  Russian  |"i- 
pulation.  It  also  abounds 
in  tish  of  various  kinds. 

To  the  north  of  the 
Selenga,  the  rivers  Tiir- 
ka,  Barguzin  and  the 
Upper  oi'  (Ireat  .\ngar;i. 
taking  their  rise  in  the 
snow-covered  peaks  of 
the  surrounding  mountain 
Lake  Baikfil. 

The  river  Vitim.  of  the  Lena  basin,  (lowing  for  a  distance  of  about  HlKi 
vorsts  within  the  limits  of  the  Transhaikal  territory,  receives  many  short 
and  rapid  streams  from  the  mountains  of  the  Yablonovy  chain. 

The  river  systems  of  the  Shilka  and  Argiin.  uniting  their  waters  lieyond 
the  limits  of  the  Transhaikal.  belong  to  the  Amur  basin. 

The  joint  streams  of  the  Onoii  and  the  Ingoda  form  the  Shilka. 

The  former,  taking  its  rise  in  the  Kentei  nuuintains.  tlows  along  the  hiuMi 
and  stepi>c-like  plateaus  of  northern  Mongolia. 

Enterin.ii  the  confines  of  the  Transhaikal  territor.v .  it  continues  its  course 
amidst  treeless  .steppes  and  niniintains.  The  latter,  having  a  smaller  basin. 
tlows  from  the  Chokondo  mountain  grouii.  retainimr  tbniughniii  its  entire 
course  a  thoroughly  mountainous  character. 

The  water  of  the  Ingoda  is  extraordinarly  clear  and.  for  many  versts 
after  its  junction  with  the  Onon.  the  turbid  waves  of  the  Mon.golian  river  do 
not  mingle  with  the  pure  current  of  the  Ingoda.  The  combined  waters  of  the 
two  rivers  form  the  Shilka  and  continue  their  course  along  a  narrow  valley 
bordered  by  hills.  The  mountainous  character  of  the  Ingoda  is  retained  by 
the  Shilka  throughout  its  entire  cour.se.  With  its  steep  and  wooded  l)anks 
and  rapid  current,  the  Shilka  is  one  of  the  most  picturesijue  rivers  of  thi' 
Transhaikal,  the  steep  and  lofty  right  bank  being  i)ai-ticularly  beautiful.  The 
total  length  of  this  river,  from  the  junction  of  the  Onon  with  the  Ingoda  to 
the  mouth  of  the  .\rgiin.  with  which  it  forms  the  beginning  of  the  Aniiir.  is 
over  .'KKi  versts.  whereas  the  distance  from  Srt-tensk  to  the  Amiir  is  .i:)» 
versts.  The  breadth  of  its  bed  varies  but  slightly  an<l  is  on  an  average  15(t 
to  20(1  sazhens.  The  current  flows  at  the  rate  of  «  to  7  versts  an  hour.  At  the 
bars,  which  occur  frequently  and  are  14:5  in  number,  it  increases  to  H  versts 
and  more.  On  account  of  the  stony  an<l  rocky  i>e(l,  the  bars  never  shift,  and 
are  nut  influenced  by  the  tide. 


:U2 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GliKAT  SlHKIflAN  K.MI.WAY. 


Tlir  liasin  III'  ihr  SlnlKa  uniy  lir  cunsidcrril  as  iiaviiialilr  in  lis  wlmli- 
'•M'lil,  iiiil  iTiiiilar  iia\i,^ali(iii  is  maintaincil  mily  IVom  Stvlciisi<  in  llic 
iiiiiiillt  111  liu-  rivri',  a  ilistaiiiT  nf  ;i5ii  vcrsts.  Fnnn  SiV'icnsk  to  thr  \  illa-r 
III'  MitrolViiiovo,  a  liistancc  nf  l.Mi  verst.s,  stfaim-rs  ply  and  tow  liai-,irt's  at 
iiili'i'vals.  this  section  not  lioin.:;-  incliKlfd  in  tho  niunber  of  tiir  ohliiratoi-y 
tiips,  made  i)y  the  Ship  and  Trado  Aniiii-  Company,  subsidised  liy  the  (iovcrn- 
luiMit.  This  inadequate  dovelopmeni  ot  tlie  naviijation  is  due  to  the  lack  of 
enei-ijy  on  the  part  of  tiie  Amur  Steanislii])  Companies.  Althou,<;h  fm-mini; 
part  of  tlie  waterway  of  the  extensive  Amur  liasin.  the  Shilka  is  not  pi'uvidrd 
with  a  si)eeial  fh'et  and  the  service  is  perlbrmed  hy  the  .\mur  steamers. 

Tlie  navigation  on  the  Shilka  lasts  a  little  over  o  months,  from  the  end 
of  .\i)ril  to  the  l)e.ii;inniug  of  October.  The  frequent  fogs,  which  cover  the 
river  and  hinder  the  passa.ge  of  the  steamers  till  8  and  sometimes  10  o'clock 
ill  the  niiirniiii;-.  are  a  great  impediment  to  navigation.  These  fogs  begin  in 
•Inly  and  last  till  the  navigation' closes.  Under  the  intluence  of  meltin.s  snows 
aiiil  aliiiiidaiit  rainfall,  the  water  rises  sometimes  4  sazhens  above  its  ordin- 
ary level;  it  however  rapidly  falls  a.uain  and  the  river  gradually  b(>i-onies 
shallow,  so  that,  almost  ever.x  year  the  water  communication  is  interrupted 
fur  .•ilmiit  2n  days,  diiriuir  the  navii;ation  season. 

.Vbout  20  versts  from 
the  liead  of  its  liasin, 
near  tho  town  of  .\er- 
rhinsk,  the  Shilka  recei- 
\i's  on  the  left  the  Xi''r- 
'lia.  falling  fmni  the 
hiiili  \'i'\liliinov,\  riikc 
rill'  .Vr'rrha  has  a  cnii- 
sideralde  fall  and  a 
great  number  of  rapids, 
wliicli  render  llie  river 
unlit  for  navigation.  The 
Kuen.ga  is  another  im- 
portant tributary,  (lowing 
in  on  the  same  side, 
riirht  triliutaries,  the  most  im|iortaiu  is  the  Kureng.i.  .\t  its  i 
Shilka,  near  SriHensk.  are  the  docks  of  the  .\niiir  Steamship  ^ 


Mouth  of  the  Ncrcha. 


.Vlllong      ill 

.iunctiou  with  th 
Company. 

The  other  fixer  fiiniiiiig  the  .\imir  is  the  ,\rgi'in,  rising  be.\ond  the 
limits  nf  this  tiMi-itiir,\ .  Its  head-waters  are  funned  by  the  Kaihir  river,  falliu.ir 
down  the  slopes  of  the  (ireat  Khing:iii,  and  connected  with  the  lake  liahii- 
-Xor.  The  .-Vrgun  valley,  in  its  up|ier  part.  iirt>sents  a  level  surface.  The  bnttom 
of  tho  river  consists  of  clay  and  mud,  its  lieptli  is  not  considerable,  and  the 
current  very  slow.  .Vlon.ir  its  middle  course,  the  vall(>.\s  pass  into  mountains 
iiiainl.\  (dotlied  with  larch.  Here  the  river  bottom  becniiies  haril,  being  eoiii- 
jiosed  of  stone  and  sand.  Within  its  lower  reaches,  where  the  deptli  is  siiflic- 
ient  lor  navigation,  stone  ridges  hinder  the  passage  of  steamers,  wliiidi  ply 
oiilv    Uif  a  <listance  of  '>{)  versts  abii\-e  its  junction  with  the  Shilka. 

liafts,  carr.x'in.ii'  mainl.\'  grain,  move  along  the  .\rgiiu,  from  the  Cnss.ick 
villa.^e  of  .\rgun.  The  most  important- tribiitar.\-  of  the  .\r,^t'm  is  the  (iazimi'ir 
rising    amidst   the    heights    of  the    .Xerehinsk    Mountains,    .\miiiiij-   the    lake 


I 


Till-;  TKANSHAIKAL.  343 

hasins.  Iiesidcs  tin-  l>;iik:il.  iirc  rciiuiikalilc  lln'  nn'iiniaiii  lakes  Haiinlskoc. 
Giisinoe.    Scisncivnc.    Ziiii-Khar,ir;i  and  lln'  sicpiic  lakes  Hariin  ami  Ziin-TanM. 

The  ireoldirieal  striH-ture  of  the  Traiishaikal  teiTitury,  which  was  rarc- 
fiilly  examined  from  a  scientilie  point  of  view  in  coiinexioii  with  the  surveys 
conducted  for  the  construction  of  the  Great  Sii>erian  Uailway.  offers  .irreal 
variety.  The  ireolosrieal  expeditions  of  V.  Ohruchev.  A.  (Jer.isiinov  and 
'  lledroitz.  discovered  the  followin.i;  ,i;eolo;rical  formations  in  the  Trans- 
-iikal:  1)  post-tertiary  alluvial.  2)  carhoniferous,  tertiary  and  Jurassic  forma- 
lions,  .-i)  inetamoi-phic  slates.  4)  laimMlated  crystalline  rocks,  .i)  massive 
crystalline  rocks. 

The  mineral  wealth  of  the  Transhaikal.  including'  varied  jieo^nostic 
formations,  is  very  considerable.  This  territory  contains  inniimerah|i>  mineral 
treasures,  of  which  only  a  few  are  raised  and  partly  exploited, 

h-on  ores  are  found  at  many  places  in  the  Transhaik;il  terrifory.  The 
riidiest  hed  of  ma.srnetie  iron  ore  isHhat  of  Bale.irinsk  situated  on  the  Zai;;in 
I»al>an  ridjie.  lyin.ir  within  35  versts  of  the  Pet.r6v.sk  iron-works,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Haleira  river.  This  mine  has  been  worked  for  more  than  a  hundred 
years.  s.O'Ki.oiX)  puds  of  iron  havin.sr  been  obtained  durin.i:  this  period.  Recent 
explorations  shewed  that,  the  actual  supply  of  on'  amounts  to  2.nii(UK«i  puds. 
It  however  may  be  supposed  that  it  contains  a  still  i;reat,(>r  (|iiantity,  .\n- 
other  bed  of  ma.irnetic  iron  ore  is  to  be  found  alonsj  the  river  Belaya,  4  versts 
from  the  FiHrovsk  works,  in  the  Zmeinaya  Goni  or  Snake  .Mountain. 

Further,  iron  deposits  occur:  Din  the  valley  of  the  rivers  fda  andKirenua: 
2)  im  the  northern  slopes  of  Khamar  Haban,  near  the  landinu-place  of  Myso- 
vaya.  on  tlie  ri.irht  bank  of  the  river  Mysovaya:  .S)  on  the  Za.iran-Khunt/'i 
ridVe.  near  the  crossin.ir  of  the  post-road:  4)  near  the  station  of  Makaveyev- 
skaya:  5(  at  four  points  in  the  Nerchinsk  Works  district. 

Coal  de|)osits  were  discovered  in  the  Transbaikal  in  the  middle  of  the 
XVIII  century.  More  careful  explorations  have  been  made  of  late  years  with 
a  view  to  meet  the  additional  demand  for  coal  occasiimed  by  the  construction 
of  the  Siberian  Hallway,  .Vci'ordin.iv  to  recent  data,  coal-measures  occur  in 
the  followinsr  districts: 

1 1  .\lon.i;  the  shore  of  the  Baikal,  at  more  than  20  points,  with  outcrops 
near  the  Baikal  and  in  the  valleys  of  the  mountain  streams  t'allini;  into 
the  lake. 

The  analysis  of  the  coal,  near  the  river  Mishikha,  shewed  the  tollowin.i:- 
results:  specific  .siravity  1.36,  coke  40  per  cent,  volatile  matter  .50  per  cent, 
ash  10  per  cent. 

2)  .\t  u  points  in  the  valley  of  the  Inaroda.  One  of  the  beds  situated  on 
the  left  bank,  near  the  villasre  of  X()vaya  Kuka.  at  a  distance  of  4  versts 
fn>m  the  Siberian  line,  claims  special  attention,  on  account  of  the  man,\ 
practical  advantages  ottered  by  its  future  exjiloitation. 

The  analysis  of  the  coal  in  this  district  ix&xe:  specilic  .Lcravity  l..^S,  coke 
43  per  cent,  volatile  matter  .5:5  per  cent,  ash  4  ])er  cent. 

•^)  .Vt  7  points  in  the  valley  of  the  Khilok. 

4)  At  two  points  in  the  environs  of  Lake  Gusinoe. 

5)  .\t  5  points  in  the  valley  of  the  Slulka. 

li)  ,\t  two  points  in  the  valle.\   id'  the  ,\rmin. 

7l  In   the  valley  of  the   l'd;i, 

s)  In  the  valley  of  the  Chikoi. 

Ui  In  I  he  vallcv  of  the  Onon. 


344  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  S[BERIAN  RAILWAY. 


i 


KM  Near  Lake  l\li;ira  \'nr.  williin  tln'  i-niifini's    of  thr  Xcrchinsk  dislriot. 

The  auriformis  gravol  of  the  Transbaikal  tcrritoi'v  has  been  worked  from 
tlie  year  1777,  and  the  ciuantity  of  metal  nlttained  increases  eviM-y  year.  At 
present,  part  of  the  srold-mines  belong  tn  the  Cabinet  of  His  Imperial  ^tajesty; 
the  other  |»art  is  worked  by  iirivate  persons  and  numbers  about  18o  mines. 
The  total  output  of  gold  on  the  average  amounts  to  about  228  puds  annually; 
the  half  of  this  quantity  being  obtained  from  the  mines  of  the  Cabinet. 

In  the  western  part  of  the  Transbaikal.  the  greatest  number  of  gold 
Tuines  are  centred  in  the  Barguzinsk  district  (80.  In  the  eastei-n  portion,  the 
.Xerchi'nsk  district  is  the  richest  and  contains  .32  gold  mines:  21  privatci 
mines,  11  belonging  to  the  Imperial  Cabinet.  The  western  part  of  the  region 
is  far  suiierior  to  the  eastern  in  respect  to  the  quantity  of  metal  raised,  and 
the  abundance  of  the  auriferous  gravel. 

Besides  the  gold  mines  of  the  Imperial  Cabinet,  the  eastern  mining 
district  of  the  Transbaikal  contains  important  private  mines,  belonging  to 
the  Daiiria  Gold  Mining  Company,  to  the  Transbaikal  Society  ofVtorov  and  Co. 
and  the  Onon  Company  of  Sabachnikov  Brothers. 

Silver  and  lead  mines  occur  at  many  places  in  the  Nerchinsk  Works 
district  and  belong  to  the  Cabinet  of  His  Imperial  Majesty.  They  were  dis- 
covered near  the  remains  of  Chud  mines  in  1080,  and  were  chiefly  worked 
from  1763  to  1768.  Afterwards,  the  works  were  considerably  reduced,  on 
account  of  the  inundation  of  the  mines  and  economic  considerations. 

.\mong  the  90  vein  and  nidus  mines,  only  four  are  worked  at  present,^ 
yielding  aliout  60  puds  annually. 

Copper  deposits  exist  at  several  jxiints  throughout  the  .Vrgiin  and  Onon 
basins,  but  they  have  not  been  worked  up  to  the  present  time. 

Tin  ores  were  discovered  in  1811.  They  occur  in  the  valley  of  the  Little 
Kulinda.  tributary  of  the  Onon:  near  the  village  of  \izhni-Sharanei:  near  the 
settlement  of  Zavitinsk,  to  the  left  of  the  Onon  and  on  the  right  side  of  the 
Ingod;i.  The  Onon  mine  was  worked  during  30  years;  by  order  of  the  Govern- 
ment, small  quantities  of  metal  were  obtained  from  it  at  various  times.  This 
locality  is  the  only  one  throughout  the  Russian  territory  which  affords 
„tinstone"  or  cassiterite.  found  in  quartz  veins,  in  grains  or  imperfectly 
formed  crystals  ot  a  deep  red-brown  colour.  In  consequence  of  the  bad  organ- 
isation of  the  mining  industry,  the  working  of  the  copper  mines  stopped 
long  ago.  At  present,  thanks  to  their  proximity  to  the  Siberian  main  line, 
it  may  be  hoped  that  the  exploitation  of  the  mines  will  be  resnmed  and 
attended  with  success,  and  that  the  Onon  tin.  on  account  of  its  superior 
uqality,  will  enjoy  the  same  renown  in  the  world's  market  as  the  tin  of  the 
Malay  and  Sunda  Islands. 

.Mercury  was  discovered  in  17.i9.  in  the  Ildikansk  mine  of  the  Xerchinsk 
dictrict:  however  as  no  success  attended  the  working  of  the  limestone  veined 
with  cinnabar,  the  exploitation  oi  the  mine  was  soon  abandoned. 

Precious  stones  occur  frequently  in  the  Transbaikal.  .Most  remarkable  is 
the  granite  mountain  Adiin-Chillon.  rising  between  the  rivers  Onon  and 
Onon-Borsia.  where  topaz,  beryl,  aquamarine.  Siberian  topaz  and  other  stoneSi 
are  plentiful.  Garnets  in  small  crystals  are  also  found  on  the  Onon.  8.5  vers 
from  Xerchinsk:  blocks  of  nephrite  occur  on  the  Onon  and  its  tributaries. 

Salt  is  ol)taine(l  at  the  following  works:  of  Selenginsk  in  the  district  of 
the  same  name,  and  in  Tiransk.  Tn')itsko-S;ivsk  district,  where  brine  is  ob- 
tained from  salt  lakes,  .^montc  salt  lakes,  there  is  only  Lake  Borzinsk  in  the 


t^ 


THE  TR.\NSBAIKAL. 


345 


XoiThinsk  Works  disiii.-i:  ih.-  salt  does  not  sotllo  eviM-y  y.nir.  Glaultors  salt, 
employi-d  in  irlass  works,  is  .i;ot  from  the  I>iin'nsk  lakes  in  tin-  Bariruzinsk 
district.  Tlu-  total  out|iut  of  salt  in  tho  Transhaikal  anumnts  on  ihc  average 
to  4iM«ii»  puds  annually. 

There   are  a  irreat    numlier   of    mineral  sprinjrs    in    tlio   Transluiikal   liul 
they  are  as  yet  in-<ufH"-iently    e\i>lored.  The  most  imiiortant  are: 


ist  of  springs,  t^  Cels. 


SITUATION. 


Turkin.'ili,  .Mi.T.i' 


Cliviiticiilly  inert. 

I  the  Barfii/.insk  district  on  tlii'  soiith-oastoni  slion-  of  tlip 

Hiiikiil.  near  (lie  villag-e  of  (ioriacliinskop.  .\  linspitai  uii- 

diT  tin-  diriH-tioii  of  I  ho     Transhaikal    hoard,    doctor  aiidj 

assistant.  The  hospital  contains  ".I  rooms  and    haths.  The 

season  lasts  Ironi  April  to  Scptcinbcr.  This  .spring  is  con- 
sidered as  of  some  importance. 


Cliahbcatc  spiiiii^s. 

Gii7,iniursk I'.'O  vorsts  from  Nerchinsk.  The  Gazimursk  works,  situated  at 

a  distance  of  only  l'"2  versts.  receives  visitors.  These 
springs  are  under  tlie  management  of  the  Mining  Depart- 
1  ment  of  the  Nerchinsk  district.  Baths  and  liathing  hou- 
ses. Season  from  the  1   .May  to  September. 

■^'.iro-Darasl'insk 140  versts  from   Chita,    on    the    post-road.    Tlie    season  is 

from  the  l.i  May  to  the  I  September.  A  doctor  is  ap- 
pointed every  year  for  sanitary  inspection  and  attendance. 
The  neighbouring  village  of  Karasunskoe  contains  suitable 
buildings  for  visitors  and  baths. 

Mnlokovsk  12  ^Tst-s  from  (.'hita.  has  only  houses  and  barracks  for  the 

visitors,  without  any  bathing  accomodation  or  any  other 
resources. 


I  liatlievsk 


Alkoliiie  niid  clinlyhralc  springs. 


Ml  versts  from  t'hila.  has  two  wooden  houses  for  the 
accomodation  of  visitors  and  baths.  The  season  is  from 
the   l.i  .May  to  the   1   September. 


Clialyhcalc  mid  calcareous  s/>riiigs. 


Yamorovsk   l,.i' 


Kiikinsk. 


In  the  Wrkhneiidinsk  district.  Were  opened  to  the  public 
by  an  ukaz  of  IS'lti.  A  Iwo-.storeyed  building  is  attached 
to  the  springs  with  a  dining-room  for  4it  per.^ons:  there 
are  a  building  for  baths,  and  a  bathing-house.  Houses 
have  been  pnrcha.sed  with  lodgings  for  the  patients.  Doc- 
tor and  assistant. 

4.")  ver.sts  from  t'liila.  near  the  village  Nizhneki'ikinskoe. 
Has  7  barracks.  The  season  is  from  the  1.")  May  to  the 
1.')  .■iugust. 


:546 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GliEAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


List  of  springs,  t'   Cels. 


SITUATION. 


Calcareous  s/yriiii^s, 

Miilv,ivi'cv>k .VI  viTsis  Iroiii  Cliili'i.  within   12  vi'r.sts    of   dn'  Makavn-vo 

sfiitinii  on  (lie  Traiisliaikal  lailway,  and  10  vcrsl.s  from 
till-  Co.ssai'k  villaffo  of  llic  .saini'  name.  Houses  aiifl  barr- 
acks lor  (111'  ai'coinodalion  nl'  visitor.s,  and  lio(  and  cold 
baths.  The  season  is  from  the  1  May  to  the  1  September. 
The  minora!  ivater  of  this  spring  is  sold  in  Cliitii  at  the 
rate  of  8  to  10  kop.  a  bottle. 


Ili'sidcs  the  al)ovi'  mi'iilionc'd  mineral  .springs,  flip  rollowinix  .spriiijr.s  ha.ve 
liriMi  (li.sciivcri'd  duriiii;  thr  lali'sl  rxjilnratiDns  iiiadr  alonj;-  tin-  firc.il  Sj- 
lirrian  lim'. 

11  (Ml  (he  right  liaiik  df  ihr  Khila.  near  thr  siaiiun  nl'  Mog/nn,  cniiiai- 
niiig  imn,  varimis  salts  ami  natural  narhniiic  acid. 

2)  In  the  .\rsh;in  valley,  within  4  versts  of  the  railway. 

.'!)  In  the  valle.v  of  the  Hrii'ui,  1  vei-st  from  the  railway. 

The  climate  of  the  Tran.sbaikal  territory  is  characteriseil  li\  (he  samo 
liropertios  as  that  of  the  central  and  northern  i)art  of  the  .Vsiatic  continent- 
It  serves  as  a  transition  t'roin  the  more  tyincall.N'  continental  conditions  of 
the  Irkutsk  len-itory  to  that  of  the  .Vmur  ami  Littoral  regions. 

The  mean  annual  temperature,  registered  at  the  observation  points  through- 
out the  region,  is  below— 0^  Ols.  (In  Troitsko-Savsk  —  0.8,  in  Selengi'nsk-t 
o  .6,  in  Verkhnoudinsk— 2°.3.  In  Chita— 2M.  at  the  Xerchin.sk-\Vorks— 3'.7,  atth# 
Petrovsk-W'orks  —  4^.6).  The  climate  may  be  noted  as  very  severe,  especially 
when  comiiared  with  the  tem]ierature  (if  the  corresponding  latitudes  in  the 
same  zone  of  p]uropean  Kiissia. 

This  great  difference  between  tlu'  aiiove  stated  average  teniperaturei 
and  that  of  the  Transbaikal,  is  explained  by  the  elevated  position  of  th^ 
greater  portion  of  thi>  region  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  by  the  very  low 
temperature  of  the  winter  months.  The  annual  range  of  temperature,  that  iS 
to  .say  the  diflerence  between  the  average  temiierature  of  the  hottest  inontS 
and  that  of  the  coldest,  is  far  greater  in  the  Transbaikal,  than  in  any  othefr 
I'ountrv  lying  within  the  same  latitude  in  European  Russia,  and  is  as  follows 


Troitsko-Savsk. . . 

Selenginsk 

Verkhncn'idiiisk  . . 
Petrbvsk    Works. 

Chita 

Xerchinsk  Works 
Coi'res|iiiiiiliiii:  l.-ititiides  in   luiroiieau  Russia: 

Warsaw -     4  .'■>  -\- 

Chernigov fi^.D 

I'ralsk 14°.2 


In  January. 

2.iM 

2(r.o 

27  ".K 
28 '.I 
27M 
2'.)'. 5 


n  July. 

Difference 

18'^7 

43^8 

2l°.S 

47^8 

ur.i 

4(;'.i) 

ItiM 

44°  .2 

18''.(5 

45°.7 

18'.-, 

48"  .0 

18".,^ 

22'' .8 

■20 '.3 

27°.2 

23  .2 

37^4 

THE  TRANSBAIKAL.  347 

The  essentially  continental  climate  characteristic  of  tiie  Transbaikal  is 
only  surpassed  in  the  Yakutsk  territory,  where  the  annual  lanye  of  tempe- 
rature exceeds  6(i^  Cels. 

The  temperature  in  the  Transbaikal  varies  icreatly  during  the  space  of 
a  month.  In  summer,  when  the  thermometer  rises  to  a  maximum  of  over 
30'  Cels.  the  air  sometimes  suddenly  cools  to  a  temiierature  below  o°  Cels. 
There  is  no  frost  in  July  only. 

In  winter,  the  cold  is  often  below  40'  Cels.  without  interruption;  the 
population  of  the  Transbaikal  is  not  howerer  too  severely  affected  by  this 
excessive  cold,  thanks  to  the  absence  of  wind  in  the  winter  and  to  the  clear 
aimo.sphere.  The  rajiid  and  sudden  i-han,i;es  of  temperature  occurring  during 
the  space  of  24  hours  are  much  more  unhealthy;  they  depend  entirely  upon 
the  condensation  of  the  clouds  and  on  the  rainfall. 

The  low  mean  temperature  produces  a  phenomenon  characteristic  of  the 
Transbaikal,  consisting  in  a  perpetually  frozen  soil. 

.\ccording  to  observations  made  by  Yach('vsky,  there  are  districts  con- 
taining zones  of  frozen  soil  alternating  with  areas  of  unfi-ozen  ground,  as  for 
e.\ample  cm  the  headwaters  of  the  Chikoi,  containin.g  warm  springs  with  a 
temi)crature  of+28'C. 

.\s  stated  by  Yachevsky.  the  area  of  frozen  subsoil  gradually  descends 
towards  the  south-east  from  the  town  of  Turukhansk  to  the  headwaters  of 
the  Lena,  and  turning  south,  embraces  the  nuiuntain  range  stretchin.s  along 
the  western  shores  of  the  Baikiil:  moreover,  the  frozen  surface  extends  over 
the  whole  of  the  Transbaikal,  from  the  estuary  of  the  Selengii  on  the  west, 
to  the  junction  of  the  .\rgiin  with  the  Shilka  on  the  east,  and  the  Kulusu- 
taevsk  military  post  on  the  south.  The  depth  of  the  frozen  .soil  and  the  melting 
of  its  upper  layers  during  the  summer  depend  upon  how  much  heat  pene- 
trates through  the  upper  strata. 

.\nother  iihenonn'non  characteristic  of  the  Transbaikal  climate  consists  in 
rivers  and  lakes  freezing  to  the  very  bottom,  observed  during  a  snowless 
winter.  The  rivers  freeze  first  at  the  banks,  then  at  the  bottom  and  in  shallow 
places.  .\s  stated  by  Kriiikov.  who  studied  the  climate  of  the  Transbaikal 
territory,  the  rivers  in  frei-zing  Form  a  belt  of  ice  stopping  the  flow  of  the  water 
and  presenting  a  kind  of  bulwark  across  the  river. 

The  amount  of  the  rainfall,  at  different  parts  of  the  territory,  varies  from 
20  to  .SO  centimetres,  which  is  somewhat  less  than  the  amount  of  rainfall  in 
European  Russia.With  respect  to  the<|uantity  of  precipitation.  January  and  Fe- 
bruary are  the  driest  months  of  the  year,  being  generally  snowless.  The  rain- 
fall during  the  summer  months,  upon  the  whole,  corresponds  to  that  of  Europ- 
ean Russia.  The  abundance  of  rainfall  during  the  period  of  vegetation,  the 
cloudless  and  clear  atmosphere,  aud  the  beneficial  eff"ect  of  the  sun's  rays 
contribute  to  the  development  of  agricultural  industries,  in  spite  of  the  per- 
petually frozen  soil. 

The  flora  of  the  Transbaik;il  territory  presents  two  different  types  under 
the  influence  of  soil  and  climate. 

In  the  part  of  the  Transbaikal,  situated  between  the  northern  slope  of  the 
Yablono^•>•  ridge  and  the  Baikal,  the  vegetation  has  the  character  of  the 
mountain  flora  found  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  Altai  Sayan  mountains. 

On  the  south-eastern  side  of  the  Y'liblonovy  chain,  the  flora  changes  and 
includes  species  proper  to  the  extreme  east  of  the  temperate  zone  of  the 
Asiatic  continent. 

22a 


348  GUIDE  TO  TIIK  GRKAT  SIBKRIAN    KAILWAY. 

'rill'  niiiniHiiiKuis  I'll'  forests,  covering  v.-ist  ai'eas  in  I  he  weslern  [lai'l  of 
the  Transl)aik:il,  are  mingled,  in  the  east,  witli  foliage  trees  parti)'  belonging 
to  the  speei<>s  which  cease  to  occur  in  Siberia  beyond  the  Ural:  oak  (Qiier- 
cus  mongolica),  elm.  (Ulmus  canipestris),  hazel  (Corylliis  heteroph\la)  and 
wild  ajiple  (Pyrus  baccata).  Characteristic  sjiecimens  of  the  Mongolian  and 
Anuir  tlora  occui'ring  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Transbaikal,  together  with 
some  forms  from  the  Asiatic  eontinent  represent  the  vegetation  of  Trans- 
yabloniyaor  Kauria.  and  conipose  the  Daurian  flora.  Many  species  of  bushes 
tiiund  also  in  Mongolia  are  particularly  characteristic,  such  as  Daurian 
sallow-thorn  (Hhaninus  dahurica).  a  variety  of  the  same,  (Rhamnus  er\'thro- 
\ylon).  wild  almond,  (Amygdalus  pedunculat.i),  wild  aprii-ot.  (Prunus  sil)irica), 
a  kind  id'  wild  rose  (Rosa  alpinai  a  kind  of  tamarisk  iMyricaria  longifolia) 
and  others.  Y;iritsa  <ir  spring  coi'n,  whi(di  covers  the  gi'eater  portion  (d'  the 
tilled  lanil.  and  represents  the  principal  food  of  the  population,  is  the  cereal 
mostly  cultivated  in  the  Transbaikal.  This  corn  is  of  the  best  quality,  its  full 
and  large  grains  in  size  and  weight  are  not  inferior  to  wheat.  The  latter  is 
also  extensively  cultivated  and  occupies  about  14  per  cent  of  the  total  culti- 
vated area;  the  quality  of  the  wheat  is  very  good,  yielding  sometimes  very 
abundant  crojjs  of  about  270  puds  to  a  desiatin.  with  a  thirtyfbld  increase. 
The  oats  sown  in  the  Transl>aikal  are  also  of  sui)erior  quality,  and  (d'  the 
same  kind  as  iliat  cultivated  in  the  central  European  /.(uie.  Oats  cover  frdui 
10  to  15  per  cent  of  the  total  cultivated  area,  while  barley  is  sown  on  4  to  7 
per  cent,  of  the  total  area.  In  the  westei-n  part  of  the  Trausbaik;il,  buckwheat 
ami  millet  occupy  a  comparatively  small  portion  df  the  land:  but  in  the  east 
Ijuckwheat  holds  an  e<iual  jilacc  with  wheat.  Tlie  cultivatinn  of  winter-rye 
is  insignificant,  on  account  of  the  insufficient  snow-cover. 

.Ml  rhizocarpic  plants  and  vegetaliles  of  various  kinds  shew  ;i  luxuriant 
growth  in  this  regiim. 

The  fauna  of  the  Transbaikal  territory  assumes  many  various  Inrms  and 
contains,  besides  the  species  characteristic  of  the  whole  (d' Siberia,  the  steppo 
animals  of  Mongolia  and  some  forms  found  in  the  .\m''ir  and  in  the  l,itl(iral 
countries  of  the  .Asiatic  continent.  The  Siberian  fauna,  occLU'ring  almost  thmugh- 
out  the  whole  country,  keeps  preferably  to  the  west  and  northern  parts  of 
ihe  lcn-i!ii|-y,  while  the  steppe  animals  are  to  be  I'nund  in  the  south-eastern 
part,  between  the  rivers  Argun  and  ()ni'>n. 

.\uu)ng  the  mammals  (Mammalia)  the  most  ciimniDn  are: 

Carnivora— wild  (-at  (Felis  manull,  lynx  (Pedis  lyiixi  i-are  in  the  territory, 
tiger  (VeWs  tigris),  at  times  wanders  from  rhina,  without    staying  in  this  re- 
gion; wolf  (Canis  lupus),  polecat  (Foetorius  altaicus  sibiricus),  ermine  (l-'oetn-' 
rius  altaicus),  weasel  (Foetorius  vulgaris)  and  sable  (Mustella  zibpllina) 

White  sable  occurs  in  the  Barguzin.sk  district;  it  is  very  rare  and  pre- 
cious. Steppe  fox  (Canis  corsac),  bear  (I'rsus  arctus),  and  badger  (Meles  taxus) 
met  with  mostly  along  the  banks  of  the  S(deng;i,  glutton  (fhiln  Imrealis),- 
otter  (Liitra  vulgaris). 

Pinnipeds:  seal  (Phoca  baicalensis)  wliich.  siunetimes  lea\ing  Lake  Haik;il 
goes  up  the  Selenga  to  the  town  of  Selenginsk.  They  are  killed  by  tlic  Im-al 
inhahitants  during  the  summer  from  the  end  of  -lune,  their  skins  being  used 
b)|-  making  very  expensive  seal  overcoats  called   .,dokh;i". 

Rodents  (Ctliri's):  „leti;iga"  (Ptcromys  vidans).  squiri'id  (Sciurus  vulgaris).; 
The  Xerfdiinsk,  Zakamiuisk  and  Hai'guzinsk  scpdrrids  ar(>  considered  the  best,] 
and  above  half  a  milliim  are  taken  evtM-y  year;  strip<'d  sipiirnd  (Tamias  striatu.s), 


THE  TRAXSBAIKAL.  349 

Sil>iM-ian  maniiot  (S|.ermiiiihilu.s  Kvi-rsmaniii).  ral  (Mus  doeuiuamis),  innust' 
(Mils  miisculus.  silvatifus,  agrariiis.  ininutus).  water-rat  (Arvicola  amphibius). 
harvest-mouse  (Arvicula  rattireps.  nhscurus.  riitiliis.  nit'cicanus)  occur  pi-iucii)- 
ally  in  the  countries  contiguous  to  Moniiolia,  hare  (Lepus  jaculus  sive 
monirolicus.  Sprinirhaase  Hrehni).  (I.epus  varial)ilis).  (Lepus  totai).  hamster 
(("ricetus  furunculusi.  creeper  iLairomys  hyperhoreas). 

Pachyderms— (Pachydermata):  wild  boar  (Sus  scrota)  found  in  the  valleys 
of  the  Khiiolv  and  Chikoi  and  close  to  the  Baikal.  Ruminant  animals — (Rumin- 
antia):  elk  (Cervus  aires)  plentifully  represented  thi-nuiriiout  the  region,  the 
ro'edeer  (Cervus  elephasi  occurs  all  over  the  country,  the  horns  are  sold  in 
China  where  they  are  emi>loyed  as  medicine;  the  deer  (Cervus  larandus).  the 
roe-buck  (Capreolus  pyirar.irus),  the  musk-deer  (Moschus  moschiterus).  inhab- 
its preferably  the  south-western  i>art  of  the  region:  the  wild  goat  (.\egocerus 
sibiricus)  is  only  found  in  the  most  desert  forests. 

The  two-humped  camel  (Camelus  bactrianusi.  donu>sticated  by  the  natives 
is  employed  for  the  cultivation  of  the  land  and  for  carrying  burdens:  the 
horse  (E(iuus).  the  wild  ht>rse  (Eipius  tarpan)  or  .dzhigitai"  principally 
dwellintr  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Gobi  and  Tibet  deserts:  within  the  limits 
of  the  Transbaikal  region,  it  occurs  only  in  its  smithern  part  along  the  rivers 
Gazimur  and  Onon  Bnrziii.  These  horses  live  quite  like  wild  animals  and  are 
the  object  of  a  peculiar  and  very  interesting  mode  of  hunting  carried  on  by 
the  natives.  They  kill  only  the  stallions,  using  their  flesh  as  food,  and  con- 
sider the  tail  to  he  an  infallible  remedy  against  sickness  in  animals.  For 
this  hunt,  the  native  chooses  an  isabel  or  light-l)ay  mare  and,  riding  in  the 
middle  of  the  steppe,  fastens  his  horse  and  lies  down  in  the  grass.  Perceiv- 
inir  the  mare,  the  fiery  dzhigitiii  rushes  at  her.  I)elieving  her  tobe  a  marc  of 
his  own  species  but.  remarking  his  mistake,  stops  short  and  at  this  moment 
is  killed  by  the   hunter. 

The  bird  species  are  particularly  numerous,  reckoning  about  :i2.s  varie- 
ties; 2-H)  of  them  are  common  to  Europe.  4-i  to  Japan.  India,  the  Sunda 
I,slan<ls  and  Australia,  and  4.t  belong  strictly  to  Eastern  Siberia.  This  great 
number  of  birds  is  plentifully  represented  only  in  summer,  in  winter  the 
ornitholoirical  fauna  consists  barely  of  M  species  of  European  and  Siberian 
birds,  all  the  rest  flying  southwards  across  the  Mongolian  stei)|)e.  The  arrival 
of  the  birds  from  their  warmer  sojourn  commences  at  the  beginning  of  March. 
Choosing  their  way  along  river  valleys  and  lakes,  avoidimr  mountain  ranges, 
they  tly  across  a  country  situated  between  the  Angara,  the  Baikal  and  the 
Torei-Xor:  this  locality  is  separated  by  the  chain  of  the  Kentei  mountains, 
which  divides  the  flight  of  the  birds  into  a  north-western  and  north-eastern 
stream.  The  passage  across  the  desert  of  the  Mongolian  steppe  is  very  trying 
to  the  l>irds.  Upon  reaching  Daiiria.  they  take  a  rest  and  regaining  strength 
resume  their  tlisht  to  the  n(M-lh.  The  animation  of  the  bird  fauna  reigning  in 
summer  declines  at  the  beginning nf  .\ugust,  when  part  of  the  birds  are 
ready  t'l  migrate.  The  cranes  (Grus  virgoi  open  the  migration,  forming  regular 
trianirles  and,  steering  with  harsh  screams  towards  the  lonely  Mongolian 
steppe.  The  l)ackward  migration  of  the  birds  is  not  of  long  duration  and 
closes  at  the  beirinninir  of  October. 

.\s  far  as  concerns  snakes  and  reptiles,  not  frequent  in  Northern  Siberia, 
they  are  rather  abundant  in  the  Transbaikal.  Besides  the  harmless  snake 
(Coluber  rufodorsatus)  and  the  common  viper  (Vipera  berus)  there  are  veno- 
mous snakes,  belonging  to  the  family  of  rattle-snakes  (Crotalida)    and    two 


350  GUIDE  TO   THE  GREAT  SIRKRIAN  RAILWAY. 

forms  of  triKonoci'phals  (Tri^iniiDccphalii.s  intrriiicdiiis  Stnuich  and  Tr.  lilnm- 
hoMiffii  Hoje). 

The  iclithyoldiiical  fauna  is  particularly  afmudaiit  and  variuus.  Tlir  divi- 
sion of  tliL'  fauna  which  is  observed  throughout  the  country  is  still  more 
evident  among  the  fish  species.  The  Northern  fauna  and  the  fauna  of  the 
Amur  i)res('nt  a  marki.'d  difference,  having  only  seven  species  in  common: 
Lote  (Lota  vulgai-is),  salmon  (Salmo  tluviatilis),  umber  (Salmo  caregonoides), 
salmon  trout  (Phoxinus  revularis).  char  (Phoxinus  pcrenurus),  „pit;ilka"  (Co- 
bitis  toni),  and  „pishchukha"  (Cobitis  tacninal.  All  the  other  forms  belong 
either  to  the  northern  species,  exclusively  dwelling  in  the  Baikal  water 
system  or  to  the  species  of  the  southern  ,\nuii-  region,  found  in  the  Onon, 
Ingoda,  Shilka  and  Argun  rivers. 

Among  the  domestic  animals,  may  lie  inentiom^d  the  Transbaiki'il  horse; 
it  is  small,  very  hardy  and  not  particular  in  its  food. 

The  historical  past  of  the  Transbaikal  territory  points  to  the  fact  that  the 
Tungus  or  I>aurs  and  the  Mongols  were  its  original  inhabitants.  It  is  here, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Onon,  that  was  born  their  famous  chief  Chingiz-Khan, 
whose  name,  to  the  jiresent  day,  is  held  in  great  veneration,  and  to  whom 
are  attached  many  legends  handed  down  from  one  generation  to  another. 
The  Russians  discovered  Dauria  on  their  way  to  the  East  in  search  of  fur- 
animals.  In  1644,  sixty-three  years  after  Yermak  had  taken  the  capital  of 
Kuchiim  lying  on  the  banks  of  the  Irtysh,  the  Russian  militia  entered  the 
Transbaikal  under  the  command  of  their  leader  Skorokhodov.  This  was  the 
first  time  the  Russians  penetrated  into  the  region  and  beyond  Lake  Haikal. 
In  1647.  a  detachment  of  Yenisei  Cossacks,  under  the  command  of  Kolesnikov, 
founded  the  first  Upper  Angara  stockaded  post  in  the  Transbaikal.  In  the  follow- 
ing year,  a  nobleman's  son  Galkin  established  the  Barguzi'nsk  post  In  order  to 
oblige  the  Buriats  and  the  other  natives  to  pay  a  tribute  in  fur  called  „yasak". 
From  this  time  began  the  gradual  and  parmanent  colonisation  of  the  ct)untry. 
The  Udinsk  stockaded  post  was  established  in  1649.  In  1658,  the  first  voyevoda. 
Paslikov  founded  the  town  of  Nerchinsk  and  in  1666,  the  Selengi'nsk  post  was  j 
establLshed  by  order  of  the  voyevoda  Tolbuzin,  with  a  view  to  protect  the 
Russian  settlements  from  the  invasions  of  the  Mongols.  The  first  settlers  of 
the  Transbaikal  belonged  to  the  military  class  and  were  sent  there  in  order 
to  promote  the  Russian  dominion,  and  were  voluntary  settlers  as  at  the  pre- 
sent time.  In  1681.  the  Trinity  and  the  Posolsk  monasteries  were  built  in 
Selenginsk  and  on  the  shore  of  the  Baikal  with  a  view  to  satisfy  the  religious 
requirements  of  the  Christian  population  and  to  promote  the  orthodox  mis- 
sionary movement,  in  the  East.  In  the  same  year,  the  first  ecclesiastical  mis- 
sion was  established  in  the  Transbaik;il  for  the  convei-sion  of  the  natives. 
Very  soon,  this  region  was  chosen  as  a  place  of  exile  for  criminals,  particularly 
with  a  view  to  colonise  this  distant  country. 

The  famous  dissenter,  the  protopop  Avakum.  was  the  first  exile  to  haiiria; 
later  on.  the  Cossack  Iletman  Demian  Mnogogri'shny  was  sent  there;  his  life 
in  Dauria  was  usefully  employed  for  the  hiMiefit  of  the  country.  The  regular 
exile  system  was  established  on  the  12  March,  1722,  by  an  Imperial  ukaz 
stipulating  that  the  convicts,  reprieved  from  the  death  penalty  by  manifesto 
and  condemned  to  distant  exile  with  their  wives  and  children,  were  to  be  sent 
to  the  silver  mines  of  Itauria. 

From  the  time  the  Russians  took  jiossession  of  the  Transliaik.il.  Ibis 
region   became    the   centre  of  a  lively  intercourse   with  China,  aflbrding  the 


n 


THK  TRANSBAIKAL. 


351 


shortest  wax  lor  all  commercial  relations  witii  the  adjacent  countries.  The 
embassy  of  ihi'  lUyrian  Count  S:i\va  Wiadishiwowicz  Kairuzinski.  which  beuan 
in  1726  and  terminated  in  1727  liy  the  treaty  of  the  20  Auirust.  fixed  definite 
boundaries  between  the  two  countries  and  established  trading  laws  for  China, 
which  were  very  important  for  the  Kiakhta  market:  at  the  same  time.  Count 
Rasruzinski  founded  the  Xovo-Troitskaya  fortress  on  the  river  Kiakhta  which 
is  now  the  town  of  Troitsko-Savsk,  and  established  a  trading  village  on  the 
frontier  line. 

The  Transbaikal  territory,  which  foi-merly  was  included  in  the  government 
of  Irkutsk,  has  existed  as  a  separate  province  with  an  internal  administration 
of  iis  own  since  the.  16  August,  1851.  The  visit  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the 
present  Emperor  Nicholas  II  who.  during  his  journey  to  the  Far  East,  in 
ISWi—lSiH.  stayed  in  this  country  from  June  10  to  22.  is  an  important  historical 
event  reverently  remembered  by  the  entire  population. 

Upon  entering  this  territory  on  the  10  June,  His  Imperial  Majesty  arrived, 
by  the  Shilka  at  the  station  of  Sretenskaya  on  the  steamer  ^Vestnik";  on 
the  14,  he  arrived  with  His  suite  at  Nerchinsk,  one  of  the  most  ancient  towns 
of  the  territory,  and  on  the  22  traversed  the  country  to  the  Mysovaya  station 


Burial  types  (phot,  by  Mdstov). 


whence,  taking  the  steamer  .Speransky".  His  Iniiierial  Majesty  continued  his 
journey  by  the  Baikal  and  the  Angara  to  Irkutsk.  The  pojiulation  of  the  re- 
gion may  be  said  to  comprise  the  following  thre#  classes:  the  peasants,  the 
Cossacks  and  the  natives.  Citizens,  military,  convicts  and  exiles  form  the 
smallest  i)ortion  of  the  population. 

The  peasants  are  principally  settled  in  the  Selenginsk.  Verkhneudinsk 
and  Chita  districts.  Part  of  them  belong  to  the  orthodox  church  and  jmrt  to 
the  sect  of  the  Old  Believers:  the  latter  are  called  ^scmeisky".  Both  draw 
their  origin  from  the  voluntary  settlers;  the  greater  number  however  are 
descended  from  exiles  from  European  Russia:  the  orthodox  exiles  were  prin- 
cipally banished  for  different  crimes,  while  the  .senii-isky"  suffered  for  their 
religious  belief,  and  received  this  characteristic  i)opular  name,  because,  unlike 
other  exiles,  they  went  into  banishment  accomjianied  by  their  families. 


^yi 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


The  Cossacks  priiicipally  occupy  the  land  lyiii.i;  along  the  frontier;  at  many 
places  hi'wever,  thcii-  settlements  alternate  with  peasant  villages.  The  Cos- 
sacks iniiabil  liie  valleys  of  the  river  I»zhi(hi,  the  lower  reaches  of  the  Chikoi, 
(he  Oniin.  the  Ingoda.  the  Shilka  and  all  llie  eastern  portion  of  the  territory. 

The  natives  are  represented  l)y  the  Tiingus  and  Huriats.  The  former 
occur  only  in  three  districts:  Chita,  Selenginsk  and  Bar.guzinsk,  the  latter 
are  irre.sjularly  distributed  all  over  the  country  hut  mostly  in  th(^  districts  of 
Selenginsk,  Verkhneudinsk,  Chita  and  Barguzinsk. 

The  first  census  of  1S97  shewed  a  total  population  of  iifi4.i>71.  settled 
in  the  following  districts: 


Population  by  the  census  of  1897. 


DISTRICTS. 


Square 
versts. 


Village. 


1)  Barguzinsk I  144.401 


2)  Verkhneudinsk. 

3)  Selenginsk 


112,514 
30,305 
4)  Troitsko-Savsk I   19,175 


5)  Chita 

b)  Akshinsk      . 

7)  Nerchinsk  . . . 

8)  .Xerchinsk  \V, 


1 112,746 

:    32,373 

38,193 

58,258 


Town. 


Total  population. 


Males. 


22,263 

159,773 

101,214 

23,263 

130,048 

30,664 

84,393 

75,625 


1,432  11.904 

5,881 !  82,448 

1,093!  51,002 

9,213!  16,009 

11,106  75,502 

1,6791  15,750 

6,4191  47,090 
39,017 


Females. 


Density  01 
-    popula- 
tion per 

■^ ]      squ. 

Total,    i     verst. 


Total... 


547.965  fi27,24S'    .H6.S9.^  3.SS,722  .325..%49  664.071'       1.27 


11,791 
83,206 
51,035 
16,467 
65,,562 
16.593 
43,727 
36,608 


23,69o!' 

165,654ji 

102.307|! 

32,476|! 

141,154 

32,243 

90,817' 

75,625f 


0.17 
1..59 
3.37 
1.69 
1..39 
(1.99 
2.37 
1.29 


In  proportion  to  the  whole  area  of  land,  tlie  most  thickly  jiopulated  is 
the  di.strict  of  yelenginsk;  then  come  the  .Xerchinsk.  Troitsko-Savsk,  Verkhne- 
udinsk, Chita,  the  Xerchinsk  Works,  Akshinsk  and  Barguzinsk  districts.  How- 
ever, the  density  of  the  population  is  inferior  to  all  northern  governments 
of  European  Kussia,  with  the  exception  of  the  .\iThangel  government  which 

has  a  i)opulation  of  ii.."i  to 

the  sipiare  verst.  The  Kus- 
si.ins  predominate  anient 
the  population,  formin.sr 
ri4.7  per  cent  of  the  total, 
tlieii  coim>  the  Burials 
ivpr(>sentiug  ;i0.4  iHM-cent,,j 
ilii^  Tungiis  4.5  per  cent. J 
Tatars  and  Jews  nl  p(>r 
^■■■nt. 

The  Cossacks,  forming j 
I'ver    30    per   cent   of  thej 
total  ]topulation,  constitute ; 
tlie  militar.\     class  gradu- 
ally   foiniiMl    liy  ri'presen- 
>ojiiilalion.   In   the  middle  of  the  Will  n-iitu- 


Burlat  village. 

tativesol  thei.alive  and  Russian 


THK  TRANSBAIKAL. 


353 


Bunar  v.imer  dwelling. 


ry,  wlioii  ihr  (•(ilonisalinii  ol  ihc  'l'ransluiik;il  was  ciilMrui'd  liy  a  ronliiijiiMit 
of  i-\ilos  ami  the  Silx'rian  Cossacks  wcri/  culnistiMl  with  llu'  pnili-ctinii  ul 
the  frontiers,  a  'riiniriis  i't\ninu'nt  ofritio  iiioii  was  ruriiicil  from  llic  loi-al  Tuiiiiiis 
and  Buriats  and  added  to  tlie  S-iberian  Cossacks  with  a  view  to  stieiijrthen 
the  military  foree.  In  1704.  4  reiriments  of  (iiK)  men  eacli  were  composed  of 
the  Selon.ninsk  Buriats. 
All  liiese  reninieiits  were 
stationed  on  tile  front ii'r. 
According-  to  a  statute 
issued  on  the  17  March. 
IHol,  relative  to  tits  ofi;- 
anisalion  of  the  Trans- 
baikal  Cossack  trooi)s. 
the  frontier  and  the  sta- 
nitsa  (village)  Cossack 
troops,  descendants  of 
the  Siberian  Cossacks 
and  the  new-comers  from 

Russia,  as  well  as  the  Tunjiiis  and  Buriat  resiiments.  were  inchided  in  the 
continj^ent  of  the  Transbaikiil  Cossack  troops.  In  18.'i4  part  of  (lie  Cossack 
regiments,  representing  a  male  population  of  about  otyKX),  was  transferred 
to  the  Anuir  region  in  order  to  increase  its  population:  thus  the  Cossacks  of 
the  Transbaikiil  troops  formed  the  foundation  of  tiic  Amur  and  Ussiiri  Coss- 
ack troops.  At  the  present  time,  the  military  ulass  comprises  a  total  of  2()0.()00 
dissenters  and  sectarians  and  over  28.(K)()  Lamaists. 

With  respei-t  u<  tlieir  total  number,  the  Transl)aiknl  troops  hold  tlie  fourtli 
plai-e  anionic  the  II  i-eirinients.  wliich  may  be  classed  in  the  following  order: 

the     l)oi\,      Kuban.    Oren- 

biir.i;.  Transbaikal,  Teri'k. 
Siberian,  Ural,  Astrakhan 
Semiri'chensk.  Amiir  and 
Ussiiri  regiments.  In  war- 
time, the  Transbaikiil 
Cossacks  are  under  the 
obligation  to  furnisli  •"! 
horse  regiments  of  Oiio 
men  each,  (i  battalions  of 
biot  of  .')iiii  men.  .'i  luirse- 
.irtillery  batteries,  with  si\  guns,  a  total  of  2:U  oflicers,  (i,:ilti  |irivales  and 
l.iQi  horses.  In  time  cd'  peace,  half  of  this  contin.i;ent  is  discharged 

All  the  land  allotted  to  the  use  of  the  army,  comprising'  a  total  of  al)oui 
ii.diKMnti)  (lesiatins.  is  under  the  management  of  the  community,  represented 
by  the  population  of  the  Cossack  village  or  stanitsa  and  by  every  sotnia  or 
hundred  soldiers.  The  number  of  sectarians  known  under  the  name  of  „se- 
nu'isky"  amounts  to  27.!i'.>()  among  the  jteasanl  and  Cossack  ijopulatimi.  Among 
the  native  tribes  of  the  Transbaiknl,  the  Tungus  mostly  profess  Shamanism; 
the  number  of  Christians  is  very  small.  The  former  occupy  themselves  with 
breeding  reindeer  and  with  huntinir  and  pay  their  tribute  or  yasiik  in  furs. 
The  Buriats,  who.se  local  Russian  name  is  .Bratskie'  (fraternal),  are  either 
Buddhists  or  Lamaists:  theysjieak  the  Mongolian  lanirua.ire  but  formerly,  bav- 
inir    no  alphabet,  possessed  no  literature,    whic-li    lias    existi'd    only  from  the 


al  summer  camp. 


354 


GUIDK   TO  THK  GREAT  SITtKRlAN  RAILWAY. 


time  thi'y  I'lnliraced  Buddhism,  It  consists  mainly  of  spiritual  books  trans- 
lated from  the  Tibetan  languai;;c.  The  Bandido-Kliamliii  m-  l\hamb;i-Lama  is 
the  religious  chief  and  first  representative  of  the    rk'r;:\;   tlic    Lamas  repre- 


The  datsan  (monastery)  of  Lake  Gusinoe. 

sent  the  common  priesthood.  The  dwelling-place  of  the  Khambii-Lama.  who 
is  ofticially  confirmed  by  the  Russian  (iovernment,  is  the  „datsan"  or  mona- 
stery situated  within  2.t  versts  of  the  town  of  Selenginsk,  near  Lake  Gusinoe. 

which  the  Mongols  call  Gelung-ner 
or  Lake  of  the  Priests.  The  dats.-in 
resembles  a  small  town,  containiuir 
a  three-storeyed  temple  of  Chinese 
architecture,  near  to  which  are  17 
small  wooden  one-storeyed  temples 
with  Buddhist  cupolas,  called  „su- 
me";  each  sume  is  consecrated  to  a 
special  „bui'khan"  representing  the 
object  of  worship.  A  whole  set  of 
neat  little  houses  clusters  around 
the  datsan;  they  are  inhabited  by 
some  hundi'eds  of  lamas  and  by  over 
a  hundi'ed  „khuvarka",  Buddhist 
seminarists  educated  in  the  school 
of  the  datsan.  In  this  school,  which 
lias  a  course  of  study  of  ten  years, 
they  learn  the  prayers,  the  Tibetan 
theology,  the  literature  of  Tibet  and 
Mimgolia.  Tibetan  medicine,  astro- 
nomy, astrology  and  Buddhist  phi- 
losophy. 

The  Buriats  are  mainly  engaged 
in  cattle-breeding  and  for  this  purpose  mostly  dwell  on  steppe  lands.  They 
are  under  the  management  of  a   special  native  hereiiitary  administration. 

The  comparative  scantiness  of  the  town  population  (Htj.823  in  seven 
towns)  points  to  the  still  insuil'icient  development  of  trade,  industry  and 
manufacture.  .\s  to  tlie  iieasant  euiigratinn  from  Russia,  it  hardly  contributes 


Interior  of  a  datsan  (phot,  by  M^slov) 


THE  TRANSBAIKAL. 


855 


to  tho  incivaso  of  the  |ii>iiiil;itinu  in  ihis  tci-ritoi-y;  ihc  iMiiii;i-anls  ucniMMlly 
pass  throiiirli  liu'  cnuiilrN  on  llu-ii'  way  to  tin-  Aimii-,  anil  only  a  small  luinilioi' 
of  those  eastward  liouml  slay  in  the  'rransliaikal  territoi'y. 

The  class  of  convicts  and  exile- 
settlers  plays  a  particularly  import- 
ant part  among  the  population. 
Prisons  and  exile  exert  a  pernicious 
influence  upon  the  local  life  of  the 
Siberian  governments  and  have  a 
most  evil  influence  upon  the  inhali- 
itants  of  the  country.  The  exile 
convicts  and  the  exile  settlers  form 
3  per  cent  of  the  total  population. 
Special  jirisons  are  designed  for  the 
accomodation  of  the  exiled  convicts, 
concentrated  in  the  Nerchinsk  Woi-ks 
district  and  in  the  regions  ofZercn- 
tiii  and  Algachi. 

The  first  district  contains  4  pri- 
sons: the  Zerentiii.  Maltsev.  Kadainsk 
and  Kutouuir  prisons. 

The  second  division  comprises 
lie  prisons  of  Algachi,  of  Pokrovsk 
and  the  Alexander  poorhouse  for  old 
exile  settlers.  The  Akatui  prisons  for 
political  i)risoners  is  under  the  ma- 
nagement of  the  Nerchinsk  Penal 
Board. 

The  population  of  all  these  i>ris- 
ons  varies  from  2,2(k»  to   2,T(H).  The  convicts  ai-e  omployed  in  work  entiaisted 
to  them    by    the   Mining   Department    and  receive  one  tenlii    ol'  the  value  of 
their  work:  moreover  they  discharge  all  ordinary  household  and  other  duties. 

After  the  completion  of  the  hard-labour  sentence,  tlic  rnnvicls  pass  to 
the  stage  of  exile-settlers,  and  iiresent  an  improvident,  dangerous  and  thrift- 
less element  which  lies  as  a  heavy  burden  u])on  the  whole  of  the  populati<in. 

The  total  number  of  exile-settlers  throughout  the  territory  is  17,(kh);  the 
dwelling  jilaces  of  one-third  of  them  is  unknown.  The  tenure  and  exploitation 
of  the  land  is  not  regulated  in  the  Transl)aik;il,  as  no  proper  boundaries  have 
yet  been  traced.  This  however  constitutes  one  of  the  chief  anxieties  of  the 
Government,  occuiiied  with  the  welfare  of  the  country. 

According  to  the  calculations  of  Strelbitsky,  the  teriitoiy  covers  a  total 
area  of  at).l.i2.2ti(t  desiatins  of  land,  excluding  :')4,41(i,:52.'i  desiatins  of  water 
The  area  of  settled  land  is  14,H2ti,92.T  desiatins. 

Thus  only  27  per  cent  of  the  total  area  of  land  in  the  Transbaik:il  is 
cultivated,  while  4(i.i ti h i.i k to  desiatins  are  lying  vaste.  This  immense  area  of 
unoccupied  land  is  hardly  explored  to  the  present  day:  it  is  mostly  covered 
with  dense  forests  and  rocky  mountain  ranges.  Imt  iiiKioulitcdly  contains 
localities  which  are  fit  for  colonisation. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  settled  land.  4.')  |ier  cent,  belongs  to  the  nali- 
\es;  the  Cossacks  own  :'..')  per  cent,  the  peasants  12  per  cent.  The  rest  forms 


Lama  at  Ihe  entrance  of  the  prayer-house  in  a 
datsin  (phot,  by  M^slov). 


350 


GUIDK  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


111!' jiPdperly  of  His  Imperial  Majesty's  Caliiiii't,  nf  tnwns.  nf  iiKniasteries  ami 

(if  the  Inrmer  peasants  of  llie  nietalliii"j!;ical  wui'ivs. 

The  ili\ision  (if  the  laml.  luil  heing  reguhitefl,  is  very  imei]Lial  aiiuiiii;-  tlie 

various  .^rmips  nl'  the  popiilatiiui:  many    possess   an   excess   ot   land,   wiiilst 

ntliers    have    ton    little.   This    in-eu-ular   ilistributiDn    occurs    more   frcNpiently 

among  [leasants  and  natives;  the 
lirst  possess  IroinSte  -Vl  desiatins  1i. 
every  male  memliei-.  the  second  even 
111  11  eh  more. 

The  chief  industries  and  occup- 
ations of  the  population  are  repn'- 
sented  by  agriculture  and  cattle- 
breeding.  The  considerable  elevation 
of  the  country  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  its  mountainous  surface,  the 
gravel  soil  and  severe  climate  have 
a  nujst  unfavourable  inthieni'e  upon 
ilic  iicnoral  development  of  agricul- 
lure  in  the  country. 

Lnder  these  conditions,  agricul- 
lurf  re([uires  nuu'h  prai'tical  expo- 
I'ience  and  labour.  The  Russian  co- 
lonist settled  in  an  unkiKJwn  land, 
with  pi'culiar  conditions  of  soil  and 
cliinate.  has  to  adapt  his  husbandry 
to  them,  and  to  abandon  many  of 
his  original  cust(mis.  changing  his 
mode  of  lib-  and  in  many  things 
imitating  the  half  savage  native 
nomad. 

Th(>  fallow  land  system,  varying 
lil.  |iredoniinates  throughout  the  tei-r- 


Interior  of  the  school  in  a  datsan. 


with  the    cliiiialr  and 


d     ;iL;'rirultui-;il   niai-hincrv  and  the  laud  is  mostly 


in    accordancf 

itoi'v.  There  is  no  iiiiproM.Hi 
tilled  with  the  hel])  of  ordinar.\' 
two-wheeled  plou.ichs  and  harr- 
ows of  very  primitive  con- 
struction. The  most  abundant 
crops  of  yaritsa,  wheat,  oats, 
buckwheat  nnd  barley  are 
r.'iised  in  the  Xerchinsk  and 
Akshinsk  districts;  the  aver- 
age crops  for  >:'u'itsa  are  4.7- 
fold.  I'ol'  wh(Mt  4.(i  bdd.  for 
oats  .'i.l-lokl.  for  buckwheat 
7.3-fold,  and  for  barley  4.7- 
I'old.  With  the  gradual  devel- 
oiunent  of  agriculture   in  the 

Transbaikiil.  the  the  area  sown  witli  spriii^--wluMt  and  o;its  widens  IVom  year 
to  year. 

For  some  time  i>ast.  tin'  pul)lic  commissariiit   was  an  object  id'  sidiritiide 
I'or  tlie  (ioverninent.  but   now    the    conditions    are    so    |,-ir    chaii;;-od    that    the 


Masks  of  lania  images  used  in  mysteries. 


THE  TR.\.\sn.\lKAl,. 


357 


Transl)aik:il  nuiy  snvc  as  a  uiaaaiv  lur  llic  iiold-iuiiK-s  ol' ihe  ad.jaceiil  Amur 
tiTiiloiy. 

AfU-r  tho  i-oiiipli'tiiin  <<{  tlir  (ircal  SilxTian  main  line  aiul  willi  the  UL-n- 
eral  i-ise  of  the  I'coiioinic  HIV  in  the  re,u.ion,  a.mricullurc  will  niako  still  great- 
er pro.irrt'ss  as  rejrards  the  expansidu  of  its  area,  and  the  technical  imiirove- 
mont  of  the  modes  of  cultivation  and  the  systems  of  husbandry. 

Heinir  provided  with  vast  pastiu'es.  the  Transbaik;il  ofl"ers  particularly 
favourahh'  conditions  for  cattle-hreedinir.  which  has  a  very  important  eco- 
nomic significance  as  the  principal  leaUire  nl'  industry,  upon  which  depends 
the  welfare  of  the  natives. 

Horses,  cattle,  camels,  sheep,  goats  and  swine  arc  the  domestic  animals 
reared  liy  the  inhabitants.  The  horses  of  the  Transbaikal  belong  to  the  local 
stock  and  only  very  lew  are  obtained  by  crossing  with  stallions  brought  from 
Western  Sibei-ia  or.  as  within  the  last  4  .i  years,  from  the  stables  of  the 
Imperial  studs  in  Russia.  The  cattle  is  also  home-bred,  and  the  camels  yaks 
htitlalos,  shee]),  goats  and  swine  come  exclusively  of  the  local  stock. 

The  number  of  cattle  belonging  to  the  inhabitants  is  distributed  in  thi^ 
followinir  jiroportion: 


The  number  of  caiuels  in  the  territory  is  about  '.i.ii.'.o;  most  of  them  be- 
long to  the  wanilering  natives  of  the  Chitii  district. 

The  inhabitants  |)ossess  a  total  of  ;!.'i.5()..')f!l  head  id'  <'att|p,  including  camels. 

The  cattle  are  kept  in  herds.  They  a;  not  looked  after  and.  feeding  all 
the  year  round  on  the  iiastures,  are  exp  ised  to  bad  weather,  to  the  danger 
of  epizootic  diseases,  to  wild  beasts  and  other  dangers. 

The  animal  jtroduce  not  only  serves  as  a  help  to  the  iioiiuhition  but 
often  reitresents  the  sole  som-ce  of  their  welfare. 

Meat  is  exi)orted  from  the  Transbaikal  to  the  governnu'iit  of  Irkutsk,  to 
iie  Aint'n-  territory  and  the  gold-mines;  the  hides  are  forwarded  to  the  ,go- 
\ernnient  of  Irki'itsk  and  pai-t  of  them  is  eniployed  for  packing  tea  1)oxes. 
\\do|  and  fat  are  also  articles  (d'  export. 

Fishing  is  chiefly  practised  on  Ihe  shores  of  the  Haikal  and  in  the  estu- 
aries of  the  rivers  Selenga,  Harguzin.  and  tlu'  I'pper  .\n.gara.  The  omul,  pre- 
lominating  in  this  industry,  is  salli-d  without  diday    immediately  after  bein.g 


358 


nriDK  TO  Tin-;  grkat  Siberian  railway. 


.^  M^ 

j^ 

^4i^>iijiAiiJ 

Transport  of  tea. 


caught,  and   .sold    liy    ilic    lisliiiiiinii'ers    in    tlic    irnvcniniriu    cd'    li'lu'il.sU.   The 
temporary  rules  for  li.shing,  which  a.s  an  experiment  were  inlrodiux-d  hy  tho 
Amur  Governor-General  in  18'J5,  somewhat  diniini.shed  the  shameless  exterm-'l 
illation  of  the  fi.sii,  by  regulating  its  capture  and  sul)niitting  it  to  control. 

Hunting  is  a  profitable  occuiiation  of  the  local  wandering  and  nomad 
natives.  piinci|ially  carried  on  in  tlie  desert  and   wooded  mountain  ridges  to 

tile  north  of  the  Trans- 
baikal.  This  industry  is 
also  pursued  in  the 
upper  parts  of  the  rivers 
Dzhida  and  Temnik, 
south  of  Lake  Baikal 
on  the  mountain  masses 
of  Kentei  and  on  the 
southern  chain  of  the 
Yiiblonovy  mountains- 
near  the  sources  of  the 
Chikiii,  Ingodii  and  Onon.  The  squirrel  is  the  most  important  animal  hunted. 
Tiie  sable  is  hunted  with  dogs,  which  are  trained  to  follow  its  traces.  The 
best  sable  are  to  be  found  on  the  highest  umuntain  summits:  their  capture 
offers  many  difficulties.  The  maral  is  also  much  hunted  at  the  end  of  May 
and  the  beginning  of  June,  on  account  of  its  horns  called  ^panty"  which  are 
sold  in  China  at  a  considerable  price. 

Average  horns  weigh  from  10  to  12  jwunds.  but  they  sometimes  attain  a 
weight  of  30  pounds;  they  are  sold  on  the  spot  for  R.  .S  to  R.  5  a  pound. 
S)\  th  produce  of  the  chase  is  generally  sold  at  the  local  fairs,  or  bought 
up  by  traders,  traversing  the  countries  where  the  industry  is  most  ex- 
tensively developed. 

Forestry  is  carried  on 
almost  tiiroughout  the 
Transbaik;\l,  and  consists 
in  cutting  down  and  floa- 
ting the  timber.  The  ga- 
thering of  „cedar"  nuts  is 
closely  connected  with 
this  industry,  and  is  pur- 
sue<i  in  the  south-eastern 
and  southern  parts  of  the 
region.  The  Yablonovy  mountain  ridge 
Ingod.i  and  Chikoi  are  the  centres  of  it. 

Carriage  by  road,  constituting  an  important  source  of  income  to  the  po- 
pulation froiu  the  landing-i)lac(>  of  Mysovaya  to  the  station  of  .Srt'tensk.  and 
along  the  highway  from  Kiiikhta  to  Mysovaya  and  Irkutsk,  must  necessarily 
be  reduced  by  the  construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway,  which  will  carry  tin' 
greater  portion  of  the  goods  in  transit  tlirough  the  regidii  fnmi  the  confines 
of  the  Amur  basin  and  Manchuria. 

The  inhabitants  liave  anotiier  source 
are  situated  within  ttie  territory   and   in 
branch  of  industry  will  surely   receive   a 
futiu'e  under  the  influence  cd'  tlie  railway 
iveness  111  thi'  iiecessar\"    niacliinei'y    and 


Transport  of  tea. 


specially  at  the  head-waters 


the 


of  |)rofit  in  th<^  gold-mines,  which 
the  adjacent  .\imir  cduntry.  This 
ftu'lher  develoiuneni  in  the  near 
Till  till'  present  time,  the  exjiens- 
technical     appliances  and  the  high 


THE  TRANSBAIK.VL. 


359 


prires  of  all  commodities  be.sinninir  with  food  products  have  stood  in  the 
way  of  the  proper  doveloi>ment  of  this  liranch  of  industry:  the  establishment 
of  easy  and  cheap  transport  and  the  tlow  of  fresh  cai>ital   will  contribute  to 


View  of  the  town  of  Trbitsko-SAvsk. 


the  workinsr  of  auriferous  areas  which  formerly  were  considered  as  unfit  for 
exploitation. 

The  openin.iT  of  the  srreat  steam  communication  will  also  exert  its  influ- 
ence u|>on  other  enterprises  and  increase  the  demand  for  workmen.  Accor- 
dinir  to  statistical  data,  about  I.ijfil  households  are  noi  occupied  with  agri- 
culture but  earn  their  living  by  diflerent  other  pursuits.  This  number  forms 
16.8  per  cent  of  the  total  of  the  households  in  the  Transbaikal.  obtaining 
an  annual  income  of  R.  l.-idO-OOO. 

I>omestic  industry  is  hardl>  devei.  ji.^d  and  meets  only  local  reiiuirements; 
it  is  chiefly  exercised  by  the  natives,  producing  small  articles  of  wrought- 
iron  such  as  stirrups,  horseshoes,  knives  etc..  and  articles  of  cast  copi)er: 
bells,  idols  etc. 

The  natives  prepare  coarse  cloth  and  felt  from  wool. 

Manufacturinir  industry  is  at  a  very  low  stage  of  development  in  the 
Transbaikal.  Kxcluding  the  mining  and  gold-mining  industries,  its  annual 
business  hardly  exceeds  R.  l..^(t(VKTO. 

The  demand  for  manufactured  articles  is  suijplied  by  produce  imported 
from  Eluropean  Russia,  which  is  also  required  in  Mongolia  and  China. 

Distilleries  yield  the  greaterst  annua!  output. 

The  greater  number  of  factories  and  works  is  centred  in  the  Nerchinsk, 
Troitsko-Savsk  and  Chita  districts,  mainly  in  the  towns,  .\mong  them,  the 
most  important  are:  the  stearine  manufactory  of  Osokin  and  Co.,  who  also 
possess  a  soa|i-boilery  in  Kiakhta.  and  the  cement  manufactories,  principally 
of  the  Amur  Cement  Company,  built  in  ISfi.i  on  the  Shilka.  near  the  settle- 
ment of  Kokertiu  and  near  the  railway  station  of  Bayiin. 

.\  chemical  industry  for  obtaining  salt  from  „guzhir*.  which  is  a  mixture 
of  different  kinds  of  salts  containing  mostly  sulphide  of  soda,  is  being  estab- 
lished in  the  district  of  Barguzinsk. 

Trade  iu  the  Transbaikal  is  characteristic  of  all  Siberian  governments 
and  territories.  Ex]iorting  exclusively  raw  produce,  the  territory  receives  in 
return  different  manufactured  articles  from  European  Russia  and  from  abroad. 


360 


GUroE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Oiimnii'i-cial  Iransaclinns  arc  i-ari-i(M|  un  al  the  lairs.  Thr  ViTkhiimilinsk 
lair  is  hold  IVoin  tlie  IS  .January  to  the  1  Fcbniarv.  the  Spaso-l'roolirn/.ln'nic 
lair,  in  the  villa:i-e  of  (^hertnkvinskoe,  neai-  llie  nmuth  of  the  Selen.ira  (from 
ihe  1  .Xugust  to  tlie  20  Seplenihrr).  the  .Vriiiiiskaya.  in  the  Chita  district 
(Iruni  the  1  to  (i  Deeenilierl,  and  many  (ilhei-s  of  inferior  importanoe.  which 
lake  place  in  some  nomad  villages  and  other  places  with  a  view  to  e.\clianire 
animal  and  hunting  |)roduce  for  articles  e.s.sentially  needful  in  agricultural 
and  nomadic  households.  The  total  turn-over  of  these  fairs  amounts  to  H. 
T.ooo.OfX).  The  most  important  is  the  Verklineuilinsk  fair,  with  a  l)usiness 
exceeding  R.  4.(inn.or)i). 

The  special  importance  of  the  Transhaikal  ronsists  in  llic  share  it  lakes 
in  the  foreign  transit  trade  with  China  and  .Mongolia,  due    to    the  communi- 


View   of  Kiakhta 


cation  through  Irkutsk  and  Kiaklita.  and  in  the  hai'ter  of  produce  at  ilie 
places  sitnated  alon.g  the  fi'ontier  of  the  .\kshinsk  district,  suchas  Zurukhai- 
tiii,  .Miagatui,  Za,gan-.\liii  etc. 

Out  of  the  total  imports  of  tea  into  the  Russian  Empire,  amounting  to 
2,5(K),()00  puds  annually,  1,72o,0('k)  i)iul.s  come  from  the  .\siatic  frontier  and  ai'c 
mostly  carried  throu.gh  Kiakhta.  This  great  movement  of  goods  in  transit, 
after  the  completion  of  the  Great  Siberian  main  line,  will  mostly  he  trans- 
ferred to  the  railway.  .\t  the  same  time,  the  barter  trade  will  be  enliveneil 
throughout  the  Asiatic  frontier  by  the  opening  of  fresh  markets  and  the  ])rn- 
duction  of  new  articles  for  export  to  China  and  Mongolia. 

There  are  four  monasteries  in  the  territory,  in  order  to  meet  the  spiritual 
reiiuirements  of  the  orthodox  population:  the  Bogonnlsk  nunnery  in  Chita, 
the  Chikoi  monastery  of  John  the  Baptist,  in  the  Verkhneiidinsk  disli-iet,  the 
Selengii  monastery  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  with  an  antisectarian  mission,  in  the 
village  of  Ilinskoe  of  the  Selenginsk  district,  and  the  Posolsk  monastery  of 
the  Transfiguration  of  Our  Lord,  in  the  village  of  Posidskoe  of  the  Selenirfnsk 
district.  The  teri'itory  contain  2t)K  parish  and  registered  churches:  242  of  them 
are  distributed  all  over  the  vast  country.  The  insutl'icient  quantity  of  oi-thodox 
cliurches,  and  their  distance  from  centres  of  po|)ulation  is  pai'ticularly  evident, 
when  their  number  is  compared  witli  that  of  the  settled  localities  which  are 


THK  TKAX.SB.MKM-. 


361 


:iIirHil  l-i;!r>  ill  iiiiMiliiT.  iiiiil  wiili  tlir  IoImI  i iiM 111 ii1o\  |iiiiiiil;iHnn  fiiriniiiir  alidiil 
por  cent  nf  ilic  wholi'  |iii|uil;itioii.  viz.  -id.i ii )i ii i, 

Tho  hnitliiM-liiiiiil  of  Iho  Saints  Cyril  ami  Mnhodius  and  Si.  liinni-cnt.  lln' 
Mirai-k'-\vnrki-i-  of  Irkutsk,  has  starti'd  its  oiu'i-ations  within  thi'  cnnlines  nl' 
the  ten-it ory. 

I'pon  the  conslriictidn  id'  the  Great  Siberian  liailway,  part  cd'  the  Hnipcnir 
Alexander  111  land  has  been  employed  to  satisfy  the  spiritual  needs  id'  the 
iinpulation:  in  the  Chita  district,  a  church  will  soon  bo  finished  in  the  set- 
il.'Mient  of  Shundui.  and  another  is  beina;  built  in  honour  of  St.  Nicholas  the 
Miracle-worker  in  the  seiilenient  of  Karkasar.  lyin.u;  in  proximity  to  the  rich 
Buriiit  datsan  of  Zanirol:  in  the  Nerchinsk  district,  a  church  is  in  course  of 
construction  in  the  .settlement  of  Hcikbtin:  in  ilie  Xendiinsk  Works  district. 
the  construction  of  a  church  was  be,;;;Lin  on  the  is  September,  18i)S,  in  the 
villa.ire  of  Zoloton()sha  in  honoui-  of  the  image  of  Our  Lady  of  STiiolensk;  new 
churches  are  either  built  or  in  process  of  construrtion  at  the  stations  of 
Mysovaya,  Khibik.  Maii/c'm  and  Chita. 

For  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  Lamaists,  ;i2  datsans  were  established  by 
the  law  of  the  1.')  May.  IK').-!,  containin.ir  a  fixed  cmUingent  id'  priests. 

The  public  instruction  is  still  at  a  ver.\-  primitive  stage,  but  its  progress 
is  evident  and  ver,\    remarkable    wlien  the  present    numher    of  schools    and 


;  i  V  1   s'    :■:    III    K;..  '         '  ■        '        J    M".    Pctrov). 

pupils  is  compared  with  the  data  for  the  preceding  years.  The  territory  con- 
tains a  total  of  ;{7:'>  schools  with  12,761  boys  and  girls.  This  includes  4  middle 
schools  classical  gymnasiums,  two  schools  for  girls  and  a  modern  school. 
There  are  l.'i  thii-d-class  schools  and  ;5')()  lower  institutions.  Ten  years  ago, 
the  tei-ritory  iiossessed  only  151  schools  with  5,!)2.')  schoid  children. 

.Vuiong  the  scientillc  societies  there  are:   the  Chita   and   Troitsko-Savsk- 
\iakhta  branch  of  the  Imperial  Russian  Geographical  Society   of  the    Amur 


362 


ai'IDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


division.  The  Transbaikal  lirancli  nf  tlir  I inpcrial  Society  I'nr  thi'  Preservalion 
of  .\niiiKil.s  usci'iil  to  (ii(_>  Hunter  and  Trader  and  the  encoura.iicnient  of  leiii- 

tiniate     spoi't.    The    Transbaikal 
l>oet(irs'  Society  in  Cliita. 

The  i-ailway  constrijeted 
within  the  confines  of  the  terri- 
tory, constituting  a  link  in  the 
Great  Silx-rian  main  line,  will 
in  the  near  future  completely 
rhanjie  all  the  economic  and 
other  conditions  of  this  country, 
and  by  givinu'  a  wide  scope  to 
the  development  of  productive 
industry  and  enlarging  the 
sphere  of  export  for  local  produce, 
will  also  raise  the  level  of  public 
education  and  intellicrence. 


Entrance  gate  of  Maimachin. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY: 

1 )  From  Vladivostok  to  Uralsk.  Guide  to  (lie  Journoy  of  His  Imperial  Highness  the  Tsesa- 
revich,  by  the  Centr.  Stat.  Comm.  of  the  llinistry  of  the  Interior.  1S91.  2)  Jonrney  of  His 
Imperial  Majesty  Nicholas  H  to  the  Far  Ea.st  in  ISOd— lKi)l,  hy  I'rince  E.  K.  I'khtomsky.  IH 
vol.  St.  Petersbnre,  1S97.  3)  Statistics  of  the  Russian  Empire  XWUl.  Volosts  and  centres  of 
population,  ISO.''.  Transbaikal  territory.  Pnbl.  by  the  Central  Stat.  Comm.  of  the  .Ministry  of  the 
Interior.  St.  Pbir.  1S04.  4)  Siberian  trade  and  industry  calendar  for  IKOti — lSi)7,  pnbl.  in 
Tomsk  by  Romanov.  .">)  Selcnginsk  Ilauria.  Review  of  the  Transbaikal  redon  by  I'titsyn.  St.  I'bg-. 
189(1  ti)  Western  Transbaikal  as  regards  .Agriculture.  I'ubl.  by  the  .Ministry  of  Agriculture  and 
State  Domains  by  Kriukov,  St.  Pbg.  ISttfi.  7)  Eastern  Transbaikal  as  regards  agriculture.  Pnbl. 
by  the  Min.  of  .\gr.  and  State  Dom.  Kriukov.  St.  Pbg.  IS!).').  8)  Siberia  and  the  Great  Siberian 
Railway.  Pnbl.  bv  the  Ministry  of  Finance.  St.  Pbg..  ISDll.  !l)  Memorandum  for  the  Transbaikal 
territory  for  1S9S.  Pnbl.  by  the  Transbaikal  Stat!'  Comm.  Chita,  ISilS.  10)  Materials  for  the 
Imperially  sanctioned  Commi.ssion  presided  over  by  State  Secretary  Kulonizin.  for  the  investiga- 
tion of  laud  tenure  and  agriculture  in  the  Transbaikal  territory.  St.  Pbg.  18t)8.  11)  Geological 
investigations  and  explorations  on  the  Siberian  railway,  pt.  1  —VI.  St.  Pbg.  ISOti — 1897.  12) 
The  Amur  country  at  the  Russian  E.vhibitiou  in  .Nizhni  .Novgorod,  by  Kriukov.  Mo-scow,  1S96. 
1.3)  Review  of  the  chief  waterways  of  the  Amur  country  by  V.  E.  Timonov.  St.  Pbg.  1S97. 
14)  Ajipendix  to  the  Report  of  the  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  State  Domains,  presented  to  His 
Imperial  .Majesty,  after  his  journev  to  Siberia  in  the  autumn  of  1S!)5.  Publ.  by  the  Ministry  of 
Aer.  and  State  "Dom.  St.  Pbg.    189(,1 


K:M 


•vM/^  - 


The  Transbaikal  Railway. 


Direction  of  the  line.  —  Cost  of  construction.  —  Description  of  the  stations  and  localities 
traversed  by  the  railway.  —  Mysoviya.  -  Posdlskaya.  —  Selengd.  —  Tataurovo.  —  Town 
of  Verkhneudinsk.  —  Onokhfii.  —  Zaigrdevo.  —  Ilka  —  Mkhe-Gorkhon.  —  Kuzhf.  —  Pet- 
r6vsk  Works.  —  Tarbagatdi.  —  Talb6ga.  —  B4da.  —  Khilik.  —  Khushenga.  —  Taidun.  — 
Magzdn.  —  Sakhando.  —  Y^blonovaya.  —  Ingodi.  —Town  of  Chiti.  —  Kruchfna.  —  Maka- 
v4evo.  —  Karymskaya.  —  Kaidaldvo.  —  Branch  line  to  the  East  -  Chinese  railway.  — 
Urulgi.  —  Zubarevo.  —  On6n.  —  Shilka.  —  Town  of  Nerchinsk.   —  Biinkina.  —  Bay^n.  — 

Sritensk. 


m^ 


3.^  he  Transbaikal  railway  begins  at  the  landing-place  of  Mysovaya, 

/•^on   the  eastern   shore  of  Lake  Baikal  and.   proceeding    by  way 

j'^    of  Verkhneudinsk  and  the  Petrovsk  Works  across  the  Yablonovy 

chain  to   the  towns  of  Chita  and  Xt'-rchinsk,   terminates  at  the 


i/  station  of  Sretensk,  where  commences  the  .steamboat  communi- 
j/ation  by  the  rivers  Shilka  and  Annii-.  The  total  length  of  the  line 

-^,/^s  1033.5  versts.  The  cost  of  its  construction  amounts  to  R.  59,250.381. 
inclftSive  of  rails  and  rolling-stock. 

The  preliminary  surveys  were  conducted  by  Engineer  Viazemsky. 

The  construction  of  the  line  was  commenced  on  the  11  .\pril  1895  under 
the  direction  of  Ensineer  Piishechnikov.  The  Transbaikal  railway  numbers 
34  stations. 

1)  MysovAya.  IV  class  station,  it  is  situated  on  Lake  Baikal,  near  the 
landing-place  of  the  same  name.  Near  the  station  a  church  is  being  built 
in  honour  of  the  Martyr  St.  Platon,  at  the  cost  ot  the  Emperor  .\lexander  III 
fund.  Upon  the  opening  of  traffic,  a  halting-place  and  a  medical  and  feeding 


364  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

Station  was  established  near  the  iandingiilace  of  Mysovaya  for  the  use  of 
the  emigrants  bound  for  the  Transbailval  and  Amur  regions. 

The  settlement  of  Mysovoe  of  the  Selengfnsk  district,  situated  near  the 
landing-place,  previous  to  the  construction  of  the  railway,  contained  only  72 
houses  and  a  population  of  298;  at  present  it  is  much  extended  and  the  popu- 
lation has  increased  to  such  a  degree  that  the  local  administration  contem- 
plates the  creation  of  a  town  on  the  shore  of  the  Baikal. 

The  locality  surrounding  the  settlement  and  adjoining  the  railway  is 
divided  into  regular  sections,  which  are  temporarily  leased.  The  settlement 
of  Mysovoe  is  the  residence  of  a  police  oificer  and  contains  a  post  and  tele- 
graph office  with  a  savings  bank.  Fifteen  versts  to  the  south  of  the  village 
of  Mysovoe,  on  the  northern  slope  of  Khamar  Daban,  occur  beds  of  magnetic 
iron  ore.  On  the  22  -June.  1891.  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  present  Flmperor 
Nicholas  II,  then  Heir  Apparent  to  the  throne,  arrived  at  the  station  ol  My- 
sovaya on  his  way  from  the  Par  East.  A  spacious  and  elegant  pavilion  was 
erected  by  the  merchants  of  Kiakhta  for  the  reception  of  the  Imperial  visitor 
and  his  suite.  Having  been  received  here  by  General  of  Infantry  Goremykin, 
Governor-General  of  Irkutsk.  His  Imperial  Majesty  took  leave  of  Baron  Korf, 
Governor-General  of  the  Amui'  territory,  and  of  the  persons  belonging  to  the 
local  administration  who  had  accompanied  him  on  his  journey  through  the 
Amur  region. 

Prom  the  station  of  Mysovaya,  the  railway  runs  along  the  shore  of  Lake 
Baikal,  skirting  the  branches  of  the  Khamar  Daban  mountain  ridge,  which 
at  many  places  falls  to  the  lake  in  an  almost  perpendicular  line.  The  lin(^ 
crosses  many  mountain  streams  and  brooks  flowing  from  the  Khamar  Dabiin 
The  most  important  among  them  are  the  Mantiirikha  and  the  Bolshaya  spann- 
ed by  stone  bridges  with  iron  girders.  Throughout  its  course  to  the  station 
of  Posolskaya,  the  line  runs  through  a  desert,  swampy  and  thinly  settled 
forest  region  or  taiga,  unfit  for  cultivation. 

2)  PoscJlskaya.  Is  a  V  class  station  (.45  v.)  situated  near  the  village  of 
Posolskaya  on  Lake  Baikal,  iu  the  Selenginsk  district  (houses  141  pop.  751: 
379  males,  378  females).  In  the  vicinity  is  situated  the  second-class  monastery 
of  the  Transfiguration  of  Our  Lord,  built  in  1681  by  command  of  the  Tsar 
Theodore  Ale.xeevich  by  the  ecclesiastical  mission  sent  to  Western  Daiiria 
consisting  of  the  abbot  Theodosius  and  the  monk  Macarius.  The  monastery 
stands  on  the  spot  where  Yerofei  Zabolotsky,  the  son  of  a  nobleman  of  To- 
bolsk, was  treacherously  murdered  by  the  Buriats  in  16.50,  together  with  his 
son  and  his  companions  on  his  way  to  the  land  of  Mungansk  as  ambassador 
to  the  Khan  sysan.  At  first  a  prayer-house  was  erected  there  to  serve  for 
missionary  purposes  the  first  orthodox  preachers  in  the  Transbaikal;  later 
on,  in  1771,  a  wooden  church  with  a  bell-tower  was  erected  in  honour  of  the 
Transfiguration  of  (Jur  Lord,  and  cells  for  the  brotherhood  and  their  superior 
were  built  at  the  cost  of  the  merchant  Oskolkov,  of  Kiakhta.  .\l  the  i)resent 
time,  the  monastery  possesses  two  stone  churches:  one  of  these  is  a  cathed- 
ral, having  two  storeys,  erected  in  place  of  the  former  wooden  church;  the 
ui)per  church  is  consecrated  to  the  Transfiguration  of  Our  Lord,  the  U)wer  in 
memory  of  the  Miraculous  Apparition  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  The  second  church 
is  built  on  the  northern  side  of  the  monastery  in  honour  of  St.  Nicholas  the 
Miracle-worker.  The  monastery  is  surrounded  by  a  stone  wall;  to  the  left,  on 
the  western  side,  there  is  a  stone  chapel  over  the  grave   of  the  ambassador 


TIIK  TRAN'SBAIKAL  RAILWAY.  365 

Zahokilsky.  Th»»  (Miclnsiirt'  nf  the  mnnastcry  I'cviilMins  two  stdiii-  ;iiid  (i  wiumIimi 
detached  buildings:  mio  nf  tliciii  is  inhahilod  liy  tiu'  vicar  of  li-jvutsk.  tiic 
others  arc  occupied  by  tlie  brotherhood,  the  missionary  scliool,  the  dining 
hall  and  the  poor-hmise. 

The  ground  on  whicli  the  inonaster,\'  and  the  surrounding  villages  are 
situated  is  comi)osed  of  alluvium  brought  down  b\    th(>  Sclenga  river.- 

Many  thickly  populated  settlein«>nts  are  situated  in  the  neighbourhood; 
in  that  of  Chertovkinskoe.  an  annual  fail'  is  held  in  the  beginning  of  August, 
with  a  turn-over  of  a  thousand  rubls.  The  landing-place  of  Boyarskaya.  on 
the  Lake  Baikiil,  lies  near  the  station  of  Posolskajix.  Here  is  the  post  station 
of  the  Verkhneudinsk  highway,  the  halting-place  or  etape  for  convicts  and 
a  convoy  commando,  whose  duty  it  is  to  escort  parties  to  the  next  etape. 

At  the  50  th  verst.  the  railway  line  issues  into  the  valley  of  the  river 
'•■lengji.  and  follows  its  left  bank  up  the  i-iver.  The  valley  of  the  Selenga 
■  iween  the  .'iO  and  12.'i  verst  is  rather  wide.  The  bordering  mountains,  which 
ue  branches  of  the  Khamar  Daban.  only  at  a  few  places  come  down  to  the 
I  iver.  Throughout  this  part,  the  Selenga  widens  and  is  dotted  with  many 
islands. 

3)  Seleng'fi.  IV  class  station  (8()  verst).  The  village  of  llinskoe  is  situated 
near  the  statiiui.  on  the  river  Sel(>ng;'i.  in  the  Selenginsk  district  (loohouses. 
pop.  47(i;  221  males,  2.5.5  females).  It  w^as  built  at  the  end  of  ihoXVll  centur.v 
and  known  under  the  name  of  the  stockaded  post  till  the  beginning  of  the 
XIX  century.  The  village  contains  the  Selenginsk  monastery  of  the  Holy 
Trinity  with  an  antisectarian  mission.  This  monastery  was  founded  in  the 
XVI  century  for  missionary  purposes.  It  possesses  a  stone  cathedral  and.  as 
memorials  cd'  the  jiast.  two  wooden  churches.  One  of  these  was  built  at  the 
end  of  the  XVII  century,  the  other  at  the  beginning  of  the  XVIII.  The  holy 
images  and  the  ikonostasis  have  still  the  same  appearance  as  at  the  time 
of  its  construction.  A  stone  church  was  erected  in  ISdii  aliove  the  Holy  Gate. 

The  monastery  was  visited  in  1891  l)y  His  Impei-ial  Majesty,  the  Emperor 
Nicholas  II:  special  attention  was  paid  to  the  antii|uities  of  the  monas- 
tery dating  from  the  time  of  the  Tsar  Alexis  Mikhailovich.  In  remembrance 
of  his  visit.  His  Imperial  Majesty  presented  an  enamelled  altar-cross  to  the 
monastery. 

4)  Tatailrovo.  \\  class  station  ill'.)  v.i  situated  near  a  village  of  the 
same  name  on  the  river  Selenga  (.'M  houses,  pop.  15(5;  H4  males,  72  femah'si. 
From  the  125  verst,  the  valley  of  the  river  Selen,g;i  narrows  to  a  mere  pass 
between  the  mountains,  along  the  steep  slopes  of  which  the  line  runs  as 
far  as  the  I'M  verst,  where  it  passes  to  the  right  bank  by  an'  iron  bridge 
with  roadway  upon  the  lower  chord  and  six  si)ans  of  4()  sazhens  each,  and 
two  on  each  side  of  8  sazhens  suppoi-ted  by  stone  piers  laid  on  caissons. 
Along  the  right  bank  of  the  Seleni^ii.  the  line  follows  steep  slopes  as  far  as 
the  town  of  Verkhneudinsk.  KiMldisli  and  grey  granite  protrudes  at  some 
places  on  the  banks. 

5(  Verkhneudinsk.  I V  class  station  (154  v. i  Lies  close  to  the  district  town 
of  Verkhnciidin.sk  i.')l'  4'.)'  X.  lat.  and  77-  14'  E.  long.)  and  is  picturesquely 
situated  in  a  deep  vale  bet\veen  the  spin's  of  the  Yablonovy  chain,  and 
at  the  junction  of  the  rivers  Uda  and  8(denga  (pop.  8.(Ht2;  4964  males,  3(138 
females).  The  town  is  regularly  planned  and  has  wide  streets:  it  contains 
901  houses  (about  4<)  of  stone),  4  churches  (3  of  stone)  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  on  account  of  their  amient  architecture   the   Odigidri   cathedral. 

23a 


366 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Ibunded  in  174.'),  nnri  tlii'  church  nl'  Uur  Savimii',  dating  from  tho  yoar  1796. 
There  are  5  chapels  (3  of  stone),  a  Jewish  synagogue,  6  schools,  a  preparat- 
ory gymnasium  with  four  classes  for  girls,  a  district  schi>ol  lor  hoys,  .i  urhun 
parish  schools,  a  church  pari.sh  school,  a  town  public  library. 

Hei'o  we  find  tlic  nftlco  of  the  manager  of  the  1\'  division  id'  tiic  Trans- 
bailvi'il  line;  the  first  liattery  of  the  Transliailval  ('ossa<d<s:  the  local  liocly-guard; 
post  and  telegraph  office  with  a  savings-bank;  the  di'iiartn\ent  of  the  Western 
Transbaikal  Mining  district  and  an  agency  of  the  Russo-Chinese  Bank. 

The  military  post  of  Udinsk.  to  which  were  banished  the  Streltsy  in  the 
year  1668,  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  town.  In  1775,  Udinsk  was  fi-ans- 
formed  into  a  town. 

Its  favourable  position  on  the  navigable  river  Selenga  and  the  vicinity 
of  the  fertile  regions  of  the  Transbaikal  have  made  it  the  chief  centre  of 
irade  in  the  western  part  of  the  country.  Every  year,  in  January,  a  fair  is 
held  ill  the  town  with  a  business  of  about  R.  3,000,000.  The  following  indu- 
strial concerns  are  situated  near  the  town:  a  distillery,  a  brewery,  a  butter 
manufactory,  four  tallow-boileries  and  candle  manufactories.  17  tanneries,  3 
soap  boileries.  The  butter  manufactory  was  established  by  Fedchenko  in  lsi)4 


View  of  the  town  of  Verkhneiidinsk. 


with  steam  motors,  ("edar-nut  oil  is  produced  by  means  of  the  nut-shelling 
apparatus  of  (iriadasov.  Within  45  versts  of  the  town,  is  situated  the  steam 
flour-mill  of  the  mercdumt  (nddiibin.  grinding  about  12."i,noo  jjuds  of  wheat 
annually. 

There  are  two  hotels  under  the  management  of  Jews,  with  rooms  from 
R.  1.  50  k.  to  K.  2  a  day;  the  rate  is  higher  during  the  fair.  Hackney  coaches 
according  to  tai-iff:  a  drive  20  k.  the  hour  40—50  k. 

On  the  22  June,  1891,  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  lu-esent  Emperor  Nicho- 
las II  on  his  way  from  the  Far  East  arrived  at  Verkhneudinsk  and,  on  the 
21  June,  anniversary  day  of  the  confirmation  of  the  statute  for  the  organi- 
sation of  the  infantry  battalions  of  the  Transbaikal  Cossack  troops,  as.sem- 
bled  the  .voiskovoi  krug"  or  general  meeting  of  the  Cossack  troops,  and  held  , 
a  review  of  them. 

Tho  more  imjiortant  firms  are:  \'t(')rov — manufactured  goods;  XiMuchinov — 
navigation:  Sobenikov  and  Molchanov  brothers-  tea  and  sugar;  Fainberg— 
hard-ware;  Buivid— wine-c(>llar,  vegetable  oil,  etc.  Kravi'dsky— brewery;  Man- 
■/urov — soap-boilery;  Goldobin  ~  wheat  tlour-mill:  Tium'^v  —  iiard  ware;  Fed- 
chenko—butter  and  grocery. 


THE  TRAXSItAIKAL  RAILWAY.  367 

Ai^ents:  Stasivan— nf  the  IJossia  Company;  Mashamiv— of  the  St.  Peters- 
tiiirir  Insurance  Society. 

Skirting  Verkhneudin.slv  on  tlie  nurth,  the  lino  crosses  the  river  Ida  at 
the  Ui2  ver.st  by  a  liriiiire  of  M  sa/.iiens,  with  inm  girders,  roadway  iiiion  tlie 
lower  chord,  and  stone  piers  on  caisson  foumhitions. 

til  Onokhdi.  IV  class  station.  (187  v.).  Is  situated  next  to  the  village  of 
the  same  name  on  the  river  L'da  (houses  97.  pop.  48fi:  283  males.  2,i-S  females) 
and  is  inhahited  by  >hingols  and  Huri.its.  placed  under  the  council  of 
the  Ivhorinsk  steii]>e.  in  the  Verktmeudinsk  district.  The  village  contains  a 
iwst  station.  Hence  the  line,  having  previously  followed  the  main  post-road 
of  Moscow,  leaves  it,  and  proceeds  along  the  valley  of  the  river  Brian. 

7)  ZaigT^evo.  V  class  station  (207  v.).  A  cement  works  established  near 
the  station  on  the  river  Brian,  belongs  to  the  merchant  Tetiukov  and  has 
u  yearly  output  of  2(1.00«)  barrels.  Passing  by  the  station,  the  line  crosses  the 
river  Brian  at  the  21.'>  verst  by  an  iron  bridge  of  20  sazhens  and  continuing 
along  the  valley  of  the  Ani  Kizhi.  a  tributary  to  the  Brian,  ascends  to  the  Sta- 
tion of  Ilka  and  further  on  to  Mkhe-Gorkhiui  with  specifications  as  usually 
applied  on  level  sections. 

SI  Ilka.  IV  class  station  (220  v.)  received  its  name  fi'om  the  river  Ilka. 
which  is  a  right  tributary  of  the  Ara  Kizhi. 

".))  Mkhe-GorkhOn.  V  class  station  (2.5ti  v.").  From  the  station,  the  line 
ascends  to  the  mountain  range  of  Zagon  Da,  forming  the  watershed  of  the 
tributiiries  to  the  rivers  l'da  and  Khilok.  The- specifications  generally  used 
for  mountainous  sections  ar(>  adopted  on  this  ascent  (grade  .0175).  The  sta- 
tion of  Kizhi  is  situated  at  the  highest  point  of  the  mountain  ridge,  at  an 
elevation  of  about  200  sazhens  above  the  level  of  Lake  Baikal. 

10)  Kizhi.  V  class  .station  (270  v.).  Hence  the  line  descends  to  the  valley 
of  the  Baliaga.  falling  into  the  Khilok.  and  reaches  the  Petrovsk  Works,  be- 
longing to  His  Imperial  Majesty's  t'aiiinet.  The  country  traversed  by  the  main 
line,  between  the  town  of  Verkhneudinsk  and  the  Petrovsk  Works,  is  settled 
only  for  a  distance  of  .')()  versts.  and  that  Ity  emigrants  long  since  arrived 
from  European  Russia,  mainly  engaged  in  agriculture  and  cattle-breeding. 
Further  on.  in  the  direction  of  the  Petrovsk  \\'orks,  the  country  presents  a 
thick  taiga  inhahited  only  l)y  half-nomad  Burials.  Between  Mysovtiya  and  the 
Petrovsk  Works,  the  road  considerably  deviates  from  the  straight  line,  connec- 
ting these  two  points.  From  Mysov.iya  it  runs  north-east,  then  along  the 
valley  of  the  Selengii,  south-east  to  the  town  of  Verkhneudinsk.  further  along 
the  valley  of  the  l'da.  north-east  again  and  finally,  on  leaving  this  valley,  it 
takes  a  south-eastern  direction  towards  the  Petrovsk  Works.  .\11  the  attempts 
made  to  find  a  shorter  cut  across  the  mountain-  range  of  Ivhamar  Daban,  for 
the  location  of  the  main  line  "from  Mysovaya  to  the  Petrovsk  Works,  proved 
unsuccessful  and  shewed  the  necessity  of  avoiding  the  mountains  following 
the  valleys  of  the  rivers  Selenga,  Uda  and  Brian. 

11)  The  Petrdvsk  "Works.  IV  class  station  (288  v.)  situated  close  to  the 
Petrovsk  Ironworks,  hiloniring  to  the  Cabinet  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  on 
the  river  Baliaga.  tributary  of  the  Khilok.  in  the  Verkhneudinsk  district 
(houses  t)Sl,  i)op.  3,07.3;  1.864  males.  1,809  female.s). 

This  works  was  established  in  1790.  principally  with  the  view  to  supply 
iron  to  the  Nerchinsk  mines  and  the  gold  mines    belonging   to   the   Govern- 


368  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  .SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 

mi'iil.  A  considorivble  ijuantity  of  ii'im  and  cast-iron  aro  sold  in  the  country. 
An  area  of  104,(i.'17  desiatins,  including  i)4,550  dosiatins  of  forest  land,  pertains 
to  the  works.  At  the  present  time,  only  the  Baliaga  mine  is  beinK  worked; 
it  lies  on  the  Zagan  Daban  ridge  2.5  versts  from  the  works,  on  the  river  Ba- 
liaga,  and  sa|)i)lies  them  with  magnetic  iron-ore.  The  works  contain:  1  blast 
furnace.  2  iniddling  furnaces,  1  reverbatory  furnace,  3  welding  and  other 
furnaces,  1  cui)ola  furnace,  1  blasting  engine,  11  pig-iron  furnaces,  7  forges, 
1  steam  hammer,  17  hydraulic  hammers,  14  water-wheels  of  204  H.  P.:  3  steam 
engines  of  130  H.  P.  and  give  employment  to  2.")n  men 

The  average  quantity  of  iron  produced  is  50,000  puds:  the  ipiantity  of 
puddled  and  pig-iron  amounts  to  20,000—30,000  puds. 

The  settlements  round  the  works  compose  a  separate  Petrovsk  volost 
containing  a  church  to  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul  erected  in  1S37.  a  school  and 
a  hospital.  Here  are  the  office.s  of  the  V  division  for  the  construction  of  the 
Transbaikal  railway  line  and  of  the  local  department  for  the  ironworks. 

The  Petrovsk  Works  was  a  place  of  exile  for  many  of  thode  who  wei'e 
condemned  for  participation  in  the  conspiracy  of  the  14  December  182.5.  known 
under  the  name  of  the  Dekabrists.  They  were  confined  in  a  prison  specially 
constructed  in  a  locality  chosen  by  Leparsky,  the  director  of  the  prison,  and 
were  brought  over  from  the  prison  of  Chitii  in  the  year  1830.  This  prison, 
standing  apart  from  that  of  the  convicts  condemned  to  hard  labour  in  the 
mines  for  non-political  offences,  was  a  low  and  dark  building  with  an  inner 
court.  By  Impei-ial  jiermission,  the  wives  of  the  Dekabrists  were  allowed  to 
follow  their  husbands  from  Chitii  to  the  Petrovsk  Works;  they  were  the  Prin- 
cesses Trubetskoi  and  Volkonsky,  and  Mesdames  Annenkov,  Muraviov,  Xa- 
ryshkin  and  Davydov.  Later  on,  the  Dekabrists  were  transported  from  here 
to  different  parts  of  Siberia,  and  also  as  soldiers  to  the  Caucasus.  About  the 
year  1840,  the  political  prison  of  Petrcivsk  became  vacant.  Only  Gorbachevsky, 
who  died  1870,  lived  to  the  end  of  his  days  in  the  Petrovsk  Works,  first  as 
an  exile-settler,  then  as  a  nobleman,  and  died  there  in  the  office  of  arbitrator 
on  the  lands  of  His  Imperial  Majesty's  Cabinet. 

I^eaving  the  Petrovsk  Works,  the  line  follows  the  valley  of  the  Baliaga, 
crossing  it  twice  at  the  293  and  299  verst,  over  iron  bridges  of  15  and  20  sazh- 
ens,  and  then  turns  north-east  into  the  valley  of  the  Khilok,  ascending 
along  the  right  bank  of  this  river  to  the  summit  of  the  Yablonovy  moun- 
tain range. 

12)  TarbagfatSi.  V  class  station  (319  v.),  is  situated  near  the  village  of 
the  same  name  on  the  Khilok,  and  belongs  to  the  Verkhneiidinsk  district, 
(houses  51,  pop.  2,58;  1.38  males,  120  females). 

The  village  of  Tarbagatiii  has  a  wooden  missionary  cliurrli  to  the  Holy 
Trinity  erected  in  1872,  and  a  school. 

At  the  324  verst,  the  line  crosses  the  river  Tigni  by  an  iron  bridg(>  of 
15  sazhens  and,  continuing  its  course  through  the  valley  of  the  Khilok  along 
the  right  bank  of  this  river,  ascends  the  Yablonovy  ridge.  On  the  right  side 
of  the  Khilok.  below  the  mouth  of  the  Tigni.  occurs  an  outcroji  of  brown 
coal,  embedded  in  soft  clayey  sandstone  and  clay  slates.  This  bed  was  ex-' 
plored  in  1889  by  the  administration  of  the  Petrovsk  Works,  but  its  productive 
capacity  was  imperfectly  ascertained.  This  coal,  tested  in  1H92  in  the  gold- 
smelting  laboratory  ot  Irkutsk,  was  pronounced  to  be  iliiiiky,  efllorpscent  and 
with  uncaked  coke. 


THE  TRANSBAIKAL  liAlI.W AY.  369 

IH)  Talbdg-a,  IV  class  station  (.WT  v.l.  Oll'ici'  i>l'  tho  VI  division  lor 
the  construction  of  the  Transbaikal  railway.  The  valley  of  the  Khilok 
traversed  by  the  main  line  is  (|uite  flestitiiti-  of  permanent  irapulation.  being 
only  visited  by  wandering  Buri:its  with  their  lierds.  Tliis  valley  for  a  consid- 
erable distance  is  bordered  by  niountaiiis;  at  some  places,  tlieir  spurs  ap- 
proacii  the  river  and  fall  to  the  water  in  a  steej)  and  almost  iierpendicular 
line.  At  sin-h  points,  tlie  locatiiui  ol  lh(>  line  was  attended  with  great  ditVic- 
ulties. 

14)  B^da,  IV  class  station  (.'Wl  v.)  is  situated  amidst  tlio  wide  spreading 
Bada  steppe,  near  a  village  of  the  same  name,  inhabited  by  Hurifits  belong- 
ing to  the  Khorinsk  dei)artment  of  the  Verkhneiidinsk  district  (houses 
25.^,  pop.  1,230;  tKX)  males,  630  females.)  From  this  station,  the  line  rims  east, 
gradually  ascending,  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Khilok. 

1">)  Khildk,  IV  class  station  (427  v.).  A  church  was  erected  -near  the 
station  in  honour  of  St.  Nicholas  the  Vlirade-worker  and  the  Martyr  Saint 
(jueen  .\le.\:indra  in  commeiuoration  of  tlieir  Imi)erial  Majesties'  coronation. 
at  the  cost  of  the  wife  of  Major  General  fi.  I.  Kiikel.  The  first  stone  for  the 
construction  of  this  church,  which  was  the  first  on  the  Transbaikal  line,  was 
laid  on  the  1  August  1897,  in  the  presence  of  State  Secretary  Kiilomzin.  Foll- 
owing the  right  bank  of  the  Khilok,  the  line  turns  north-east,  having  on  the 
other  side  the  Khogiii  and  Shentoi  mountains  forming  branches  of  the  Tsagitn 
Kluintei  ridge. 

Hi)  Khushenga,  V  class  station  (402  v.\, 

17 1  Taidun,  V  class  station  (.t02v.). 

IM  Rag-zdn,  IV  class  station  (.541  v.).  Ofllce  of  the  VII  section  for  the 
construciion  of  the  Transbaikal  railway.  Next  to  the  station,  a  church  consec- 
rated to  the  .Vpostles  Peter  and  Paul  is  being  built  from  the  Emperor  .Vlex- 
ander  III  fund.  Close  by  are  several  mineral  springs  containing  iron,  difler- 
ent  kinds  of  salts  and  natural  carbonic  acid. 

19)  Sakhandd.  V  class  station  (.WO  v.)  The  line  leaves  the  Khil6k  valley 
between  tiie  stations  of  Sakhando  and  Yal)lonovaya  and  at  the  .500  verst 
passes  over  a  depression  in  the  Yablonovy  ridge,  with  an  elevation  of  2.50 
sazhens  above  the  level  of  Lake  Baikal,  and  with  4S7  sazhens  absolute  height 
at  the  head-waters  of  the  river  Ki'ika,  a  tributary  to  the  Khilok  and  Kiika, 
falling  into  the  Ingoda.  The  descent  along  the  eastern  slope  of  the  mountains, 
from  the  summit  to  the  station  of  Y;il)Ionovaya,  is  so  steep  that  the  specific- 
ations used  in  mountain  districts  were  here  adoi)te(l  for  a  distance  of  12 
versts  (grade  .017.  radius  150  sazhens). 

20)  Ydblonovaya.  IV  class  station  ((503  v.).  From  this  station,  the  line 
descends  along  the  valley  of  the  river  Kiika,  tributary  to  the  Ingoda.  and 
furthei-  winds  its  course  along  the  narrow  and  sinuous  valley  of  the  Ingoda. 
belonging  to  the  Amur  basin,  taking  a  general  north-eastern  ilirection  till  the 
station  of  Chita. 

21)  Ingoda.  V  class  station  (CSH  v ).  At  the  bottom  of  the  left  bank  of 
the  Ingoda.  named  Krutoi  Yar,  situated  2  versts  beyond  the  village  of  Xovaya 
Kuka,  were  found  two  seams  of  brown  coal.  Engineer  Obruchev  considers 
that  these  beds  are  worth  working  on  account  of  their  proximity  to  the  rail- 
way station  (.^—4  versts)  and  their  favoural)le  position  fin  the  banks  of  the 
raftable  river,  at  a  height  of  7—8  sazhens  above  the  level  ot  the  water. 

22)  Chita.  ITT  class  station  (674  v.)  is  situated  at  a  distance  of  2  versts 
from  the  town  of  Chita,  separated  from  it  by  the  river    of   the    same    name. 


370 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GUEAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


A  i-luiri^h  in  hoimm-  of  SI.  .Inlin  i.s  hrini;-  iTrcicil  nc.ir  iIk^  slafmn  al  I  he  cnst 
(iF  !•].  1.  Kukol  and  the  KmiHTnr  Alcxamlei-  III  luiul.  ciiitii  is  ilic  chicl'  Idwii 
ol'  the  Tran.sbaikal  territory.  It  is  tlic  residiMice  of  a  military  ifovernor.  and 
the  centre  of  the  local  administration  (5P  1'  N.  lat.  and  83'  10'  E.  long.). 
The  town  is  situated  on  the  left  hank  of  the  river  Chita,  near  its  junction 
with  the  Ingoda.  The  small  river  Kaidalovka,  a  tributary  of  the  Chita,  flows 
through  the  town.  The  Chita  is  not  navigable;  rafts  are  floated  on  the  Ingoda. 
In  the  middle  of  the  XVIII  century,  a  Cossack  stockaded  post  stood  on  the  site 
of  the  present  town.  This  unknown  place,  which  formerly  was  a  poor  village 
consisting  of  2ti  peasants  huts  with  300  inhabitants,  became  in  1S27  from 
administrative  considerations  the  [dace  of  banishment  for  those  who  were 
condemned  for  participation  in  the  conspiracy  of  the  14  December,  1825.  Build- 
ings, narrow,  iow  and  dark,  surrounded  by  a  high  wall  of  pointed  stakes, 
were  allotted  for  the  accomodation  of  the  exiles,  and  received  then  filename 


W                                              '^^SifS^ 

BSBfiBMH^^BSj^^^B 

L    lerl^, 

WS^^m-f^mSSS 

wmm 

^mrnvmrisl    >rW^ 

View  nf  the  town  of  Chit^. 


of  the  Casemates,  each  being  marked  with  its  X'.  The  unsatisfactory  conditions 
of  the  building  required  the  construction  of  a  new  prison,  which  was  begun  in 
tlie  spring  of  the  yeai'  1827.  All  the  prisoners  of  the  casemates  were  obliged 
to  take  part  in  the  work,  and  thus  tlie  new  building  was  ready  by  the  autumn 
of  the  same  year.  Most  of  those  condemned  for  the  consjiiracy  of  tlie  14  I  te 
cember  lived  three  years  and  seven  months  in  tliis  pi'isnn  built  li\  iln'ir 
own  hands. 

During  this  period,  the  poor  village  nf  ( 'hitil.  wbi<-b  funnerly.  on  account 
of  its  situation  on  the  low  bank  at  the  juufti(]u  of  the  rivers  ('hitii  and  In- 
.god.i,  was  used  as  a  suitable  spot  for  the  construction  of  rafts  floated  along 
the  rivers  Ingoda  and  Shilka,  became  a  considerable  settlement.  It  owed  its 
outwardly  prosperous  appearance  to  the  l)ekabrists,  who  drained  the  place, 
filled  ii|i  ditches  etc.,  while  the  actual  prosperity  of  the  inhabitants  was  due 
til  the  money  exjiended  by  the  prisoners  in  the  satisfaction  nf  their  daily 
reiiuireiuents.  One  of  the  streets  of  the  town  u|)  to  this  day  is  called  the 
Damskaya  or  Ladies'  street  in  memory  nl  the  ladies  Trubetskoi,  Volkonsky, 
Muraviov,  Annenkov.  Naryshkin  and  l>av,\clnv,  wives  nf  the  Dekabrists,  who 
accompanied  theii'  banished  husbands  and  bad  their  nwn  houses  in  it.  Having 
developed  into  a  commercial  centre  under  the  influence  of  the  exiles.  Chita 
very  soon  aci|uired  the  fniNnnost  i)osition  in  the  country.  On  the  organisation 


THE  TRAXSBAIK  \L  RAILWAY.  371 

the  TiMiisliMik^il  tmitory  in  ls.")l.  it  Ih'cmihc  the  (•cnirc  of  ihc  lucal  %\- 
iiiislration.  Frimi  that  timo.  tli<'  newly  loundt'd  town  has  flevcloiu'd  ra|iidly. 

Tho  last  census  shewed  a  iiopulatinn  of  ll,48(i  (6,877  males,  4,(ii)3  females). 
The  town  is  very  well  laid  out.  but  the  streets  afe  unpavod  and  very 
:iilly  lighted.  On  the  1  July,  lS9i>,  the  town  was  supplied  with  a  telephone 
:  (ioVLi-nment  cost  fof  the  use  ut'  the  imblie.  The  Iota!  number  of  the  mostly 
wooden  houses  is  1,412.  There  are  9  chuirhes  and  a  nunnery  of  the  Holy 
Virgin;  a  vast  stone  cathedral,  founded  on  the  12  August,  1899,  in  commemor- 
ation of  His  Imperial  Majesty's  visit  to  Chita  in  1891,  and  of  the  Sacred 
Coronation  in  Moscow  in  1896;  a  Roman  catholic  chajiel  and  a  Jewish  synag- 
ogue. There  are  IH  schools:  gymnasium  for  boys  and  girls,  diocesan  school 
for  girls,  ix'ntral  missionary  school  attached  to  the  Archbishop's  house,  artis- 
ans' school,  urban  three-class  school,  and  two  parish  schools;  one  of  them 
was  founded  in  memory  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  Emperor  Nicholas  Us 
visit  to  Chita  on  the  17—18  June  in  1S91;  the  other  was  established  in  com- 
memoration of  the  marriage  id'  Their  Imperial  Majesties,  the  Kmperor  Xiclio- 
las  II  and  the  Hm|iress  Alexandra  Keiidorovna:  a  Sunday-school  and  three 
parish  schools  attached  to  the  convict  children's  home,  to  the  central  miss- 
ionary school,  and  to  the  nunnery:  a  military  school  foi-  surgeons'  assistants 
and  a  school  for  midwives.  The  chililren's  home  is  under  the  iiianagement 
of  the  Transbaikiil  Relief  Society. 

Charitable  and  scientific  societies: 

The  ChiUi  Brotherhood  of  the  Apostolic  Saints  Cyril  and  Methodius  and 
St.  Innocent  the  Miracle-worker  of  Irkutsk.  The  Transbaikal  branch  of  tiie 
Relief  Society  for  the  families  of  exile  convicts,  under  the  patronage  uf  Her 
Majesty  the  Empress  Mary  Feodorovna.  The  Transbaikal  Committee  for  the 
assistance  of  emigrants.  The  Chitii  branch  of  the  Imperial  Russian  Geograph- 
ical Society  of  the  Amur  region,  with  museum  and  library.  The  L)octors' 
Society  in  Chita.  The  Transbaikal  branch  of  the  Imperial  Society  for  the 
Preservation  of  Animals  and  for  Legitimate  Sport.  Local  committee  of  the 
Red  Cross  Society.  An  amateur  society  for  singing,  music,  literature  and 
dramatic  art.  A  pupils'  aid  society. 

There  is  an  official  daily  paper  ..The  Transbaikiil  district  Gazette" 
published  in  ChiUi.  In  1897,  a  news|)aper  entitled:  „Life  in  the  Eastern  Border- 
land" was  published  in  Siberia  without  censorship,  in  Russian  and  Mongo- 
lian, edited  and  published  by  Mr.  Badmaev. 

The  town  contains  the  following  military  institutions:  headquarters  nt 
the  Transbaikal  territory:  department  of  the  Transbaikal  military  comman- 
der; local  commissariat  administration,  artillery  stores;  artillery  pai-k:  military 
medical  department:  military  ecimoniic  department  of  the  Transbaikal  (.'os- 
sack  troops;  the  reserve  battalion  of  Chita;  1  Transbaikal  Cossack  regiment 
of  Chita:  1  Ti-ansbaikal  Cossack  regiment  of  .\er<-hinsk;  2  Transbaik.il  battery: 
local  brigade. 

Medical  e.stablishments:  military  hospital  of  Chita;  military  hospital  for 
the  Transbaikal  Cossacks:  branch  lunatic  asylum;  and  town  hospital.  .V  sta- 
tion for  experimental  medicine,  for  the  study  of  the  plague  and  inoculation 
of  anti-plague  serum  was  established  in  1H99. 

The  hotels  are:  .Tokio"  and  Bianchinsky  with  rooms  at  R.  2  a  day.  The 
rooms  are  very  bad. 

Chitii  has  a  general  club  and  that  of  the  Clerks'  Mutual  .\id  Society.  The 
town  of  Chita,  being  the  commercial    centre   of  the   greater    portion    of   the 


372  GUIDK    TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


1 


Tran.slMili;il.  is  rM|iiill\  ilrNrldpini;-  ils  irailc  ami  imiiislry:  tiie  aniiiiiii  iiii-niuo 
uf  thi'  town  amounts  lo  l^  Iihi,(hki  ami  tiie  transaciiuns  to  K.  ^.ihxi.oiki. 'I'Iutp 
are  a  brancli  of  tlic  State  l^anlv  and  an  auenry  ol'  the  Kusso-riiinese  liank. 
The  town  line  incliuU's  Kolesh's  t'lir  manutactory  and  tannery,  witii  a  turn- 
over of  I{.  150,000,  soap  boileries  and  uandie  manufactories. 

The  first  agricultural  and  industrial  exhibition  in  Chita  took  place  in  1899, 
from  the  15  August  to  the  10  September.  Its  chief  objects  were  to  give  a 
complete  idea  of  the  agricultural  condition  of  the  Transbaikal  and  to  acquaint 
the  population  with  better  methods  of  agriculture.  The  exhibition  committee 
organised  a  sale  of  agricultural  machinery  which  was  tested  in  an  experi- 
mental field.  The  exhibition  contained  an  orchard,  a  nursery  garden,  an  apiary 
etc.  During  the  exhibition,  teachers  and  gold-miners  held  meetings  and  con- 
ferences with  a  view  to  establish  agricultural  schools  in  this  country.  The 
most  important  firms  are:  Kolesh — drapery  and  haberdashery:  a  whob^sale  in 
tea;  tannery,  soap  boilery  etc.;  office  for  the  transixirt  of  goods.  Schlcsiiiger— 
manufactured  and  drapery  goods,  Ignatiev — manufactured  articles,  iron  goods,  j- 
wine-cellar.  Kostin  —  grocery  goods,  wine-cellar  for  Russian  and  foreign^ 
wines.  Biitin — hardware.  Badnuiev  and  Co. — manufactured  goods  and  wine- 
cellar.  Goldobin- wheat  tlour-mill,  glass  wares.  Vtorov— manufactured  artic- 
les. Stakheev --manufactured  articles.  Perevalov— china  and  earthenware. 

Near  the  town  and  the  station,  there  is  a  medical  and  feeding  station  for 
the  emigrants,  which  is  llie  residence  of  an  official  entrusted  with  the  regul- 
ation of  the  emigration  movement.  Leaving  the  station,  the  line  crosses  the 
river  Chita  by  an  iron  bridge  having  a  total  length  of  75  sazhens  with  three 
spans  of  25  sazhens  each,  and  ti-ack  on  the  l:)ottom.  It  will  be  adapted  for  wheel 
traffic,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  communication  between  the  station  and  the 
town.  Further  on,  the  line  runs  along  the  left  bank  of  the  Ingoda,  and  at 
692  verst  crosses  the  Nikitikha  tributary  of  the  Ingodd,  by  an  iron  brid.ge  of 
20  sazhens  and,  at  the  708  verst,  the  Kriichi'na.  also  a  tributary  nf  tlic  In- 
goda, by  an  iron  bridge  of  25  sazhens. 

2;-))  Kruchina.  I\^  class  station  (708  v.).  Situated  near  the  Cossack  settle- 
ment of  Ivrucliiua.  in  the  Chita  district,  on  the  Ingoda  and  the  great  post- 
road  to  Moscow  (houses  22,  pop.  128.61  males,  67  females).  The  whole  settle- 
ment was  detroyed  l)y  an  inundation  in  1897. 

24)  Makaveevo.  lY  class  station  (729  v.)  situated  near  the  Cossack 
village  of  the  same  name  in  the  Chita  district,  on  the  Ingoda  and  the  great 
Moscow  post-road  (houses  115,  pop.  655;  305  males,  350  females).  The  stanitsa 
or  village  has  a  wooden  church  consecrated  to  the  Saints  Peter  and  Paul,  a 
village  board,  a  school  and  a  post  office  with  a  savings-bank  The  mineral 
(calcareous)  springs  of  Makaveevo  lie  within  12  versts  of  the  village.  Xear 
the  station  there  are  iron-ores,  which  remain  yet  uncxploited. 

From  Makaveevo  to  Karymskaya.  the  line  following  the  left  bank  of  the 
In.goda  runs  to  the  south-east,  and  further  on  turns  north-east. 

25)  Karymskaya.  V  class  station  (767  v.)  near  the  village   of  Ivarym- 
skoe  beliinirinii  \n  the  native  Jiuriat  board  of  Urulchansk,  is  situated  on    the 
rivei' Ingoda  and  on  the  great  Moscow  post-road  lhouses21,  pop.  106;  51  males, 
55  females).    Deposits  of  iron  have  beim  found  at  the  Junction  of  the  liigodii    . 
with  the  Budungiii. 

2(i)  Kaidal6vo.  (783  v.).  Is  situated  near  the  Cossack  vill.age  nf  the 
same  naiin'  in  llic  Cliita  district,  on  the  Ingod.-i  and  the  great  .Mnscow  post- 
road  (houses  149.  |ii>p.  ^49:    4.'?2  males,  418  females).  The  villaire    possesses  a  ,. 


THK  TRAXSBAIKAL  RAILWAY.  373 

Slone  church  ><(  iho  Holy  Trinity,  and  a  wnoilcn  cmic  at  tiir  I'.'niclery.    [.oral 
boani.  military  mcilical  station,  post  and  li'U\^ra|ih  ollicf  witii  savinirs-hank. 

Within  4  verst.s  of  Kaidulovo.  a  branch  line  which  is  still  in  construction 
leaves  the  Transbaikal  line  and  runs  to  the  Irontier  of  China  towards  the 
Manchurian  towTi  of  Khailar  and  joins  the  East-Chinese  railway.  .\t  its  very 
coiuiuiMiccment.  the  brancii  line  crosses  the  Ingoda  by  an  iron  bridge  havinir 
a  length  r>f  sii  sa/hcns  with  two  spans  of  -R)  sazhons  each,  and  traverses  a 
mountain  ridire  forming  the  watei-shcd  of  the  rivers  Ingoda  and  Aga,  which 
on  the  left  falls  into  the  Onon.  .\t  the  2t)  verst,  the  line  passes  over  the 
summit  at  a  low  point  of  the  ridge  at  the  headwaters  of  the  river  Mira,  be- 
longing to  the  basin  of  the  Ingoda  and  Mira.  Irilmtary  of  the  Mogoitiii  of  the 
Onon  basin.  M  the  7,'i  verst.  the  line  crosses  the  river  .\ga  by  an  in>n  bridge 
of  30  sazhens  and  further  on,  at  the  So  verst.  the  river  Khila  by  an  iron 
bridge  15  sazhens  long;  at  the  127  verst  close  to  a  tin  mine,  the  line  passes 
across  the  Onon  spanned  l)y  an  iron  bridge  of  ISO  sazhens  consisting  of  two 
spans  of  5()  sazhens  and  two  of  40  sazhens  each  and  proceeds  along  the  ri- 
ver Turga,  joining  the  Onon  from  the  east.  Further  on.  the  branch  line  crosses 
the  Turga  at  the  161  verst  by  an  iron  bridge  2;'!  sazhens  long,  and  follow- 
ing the  Tsunguruk  depression  passes  over  the  .\diin  Chelon  mountain  ridge. 
Leaving  the  latter,  the  line  at  the  217  verst  near  the  military  post  of  Chin- 
dan  crosses  the  river  Borzia  by  an  iron  l)ridge  of  50  sazhens  and  reaches 
the  stations  of  Sibir  and  Xagadan  at  the  frontier  of  the  Chinese  Empire. 

The  country  traversed  by  the  l)ranch  line  has  the  character  of  a  steppe. 
with  the  exception  of  the  i>assages  over  the  watershed  of  the  Ingoda  and 
Aga  and  though  the  Nerchinsk  mountains.  The  population  of  this  locality 
partly  consists  of  wandering  Huriats,  and  partly  of  Cossacks  mainly  engaged 
in  cattle-breeding. 

The  length  of  the  line  within  the  boundary  of  the  Transbaikal  territory 
to  the  frontier  of  Manchuria  from  the  station  of  Kaidalovo  to  Sibir  is  estim- 
ated at  324'  3  versts.  The  specifications  for  the  projected  line  are  those 
used  on  level  sections,  excepting  a  distance  of  29  versts  of  mountain  section 
with  grades  of  .015.  The  estimated  cost  of  this  branch  line  is  R.  28,323,158. 
inclusive  of  rails  and  rolling-stock. 

27)  Urulga.  IV  class  station  (807  v.)  is  situated  near  the  small  village 
of  I'rulginsk  in  the  Chita  district  (houses  44,  pop.  23it:  126  males,  113  females). 
The  village  cmtains  a  wooden  church  in  honour  of  (Jur  Lady  of  Kazan,  a 
school  ami  the  office  of  the  X  division  for  the  construction  of  the  Trans- 
baikal line. 

In  the  neighbourhood,  there  is  a  spring  of  mineral  (I'halybeate)  water 
and  a  stone  i|uarry.  Near  the  station,  at  the  Sii7  verst.  the  line  crosses  the 
river  L'rulga.  tributary  of  the  Ingi>da.  by  a  bridge  with  iron  girders  supported 
on  stone  piers;  its  total  length  is  60  sazhens,  and  it  consists  of  spans  of  20 
sazhens  each. 

Further  on,  to  the  station  of  Zubarevo,  the  line  f(dlows  a  north-eastern 
direction  guided  by  the  course  of  the  Ingoda.  At  the  821  verst,  it  traveress 
the  river  Tologa  by  an  iron  bridge  with  an  opening  of  40  sazhens  and  two 
spans  of  20  sazhens  each. 

28)  Zubarevo.  IV  class  .station  (804  v.).  Closp  to  the  station  on  the 
river  Inginbi  and  .>n  the  great  Moscow  highway,  is  situated  the  small  Cossack 
village  of  Zubarevo,    in  tht-   district    of  Chitii  (houses  2u,  pop.  i;^8;   63  male.s. 


374  GUroE  TO  TliK  riRKAT  SIBERIAN  KAILWAY. 

75  females).  Hrnce  the  liinKciii  ami  tln^  i-ailway  lino  (iini  cast  and  ri'laiii  Ihis 
(lirectidii  111  the  station  of  nncm. 

2i))  Onbn.  [\  class  station  (ss.J  v.i  Is  sitiiatcil  ai  liu'  Junction  of  the 
rivers  Onon  and  Ingoda,  forming  the  Shilka.  Here  the  line  turns  again  in 
the  north-east,  and  running  in  this  direction,  follows  tn  the  end  the  t)anks  of 
the  Shilka. 

HOI  Shilka.  IV  class  station  (DOT  v.).  Proceeding  along  the  bank  of  the 
■Shilka,  tlie  line  passes  at  the  908  verst  over  the  river  Kiya  by  abridge  hav- 
ing iron  girders  supported  on  stone  piers  and  an  opening  of  25  sazhens. 
Before  reaching  the  station  of  Nerchinsk,  the  line  crosse.s  the  river  Xercha 
at  the  921  verst  by  an  iron  bridge  of  150  sazhens  with  5  spans  of  30  sazh- 
ens each. 

31)  Nerchinsk.  W  class  station  (950  v.),  is  situated  n«>ar  the  town  nf 
Nerchinsk,  which  is  a  district  town  of  the  Transbaikal  territory  (,51°58'  N.  lat., 
S6°14'  E.  long.).  The  town  was  founded  in  1654,  on  the  river  Nercha,  5  versts 
from  its  junction  with  the  Shilka  (pop.  6,713;  3,886  males,  2,827  females).  It 
is  chiefly  built  of  wood,  having  only  a  few  stone  buildings  and  chuirhes;  it 
contains  727  houses.  There  are  3  stone  chuirhes.  one  of  them  the  cathedral 
nf  the  Resurrection  erected  in  1825.  and  a  Jewish  synagogue.  The  number  of 
schools  is  8:  ecclesiastical  and  district  school,  preparatory  gyiiinasiimi  for 
girls,  4  parish  schools  ond  a  church  parish  school.  Town  museum. 

Department  of  the  third  division  of  the  Transbaikal  Cossack  troops:  the 
Transbaikal  artillery  division,  containing  two  batteries;  convoy  command, 
town  bank.  Administration  of  the  East-Transbaikal  mining  district,  and 
office  for  the  construction  of  the  XI  division  of  the  Transbaikal  railway.  The 
annual  revenue  of  the  town  amounts  to  R.  50,000.  Nerchinsk  carries  on  trade 
with  the  po))ulation  of  the  district,  and  having  a  limited  working  capital 
cannot  be  considered  as  an  important  commercial  centre.  The  fair,  although 
officially  established,  does  not  exist  in  reality.  The  town  contains  the  Hotel 
fiauria  with  rooms  from  50  k.  to  R.  2  a  day.  Hackney  coach  tariff:  a  drive 
20  k.,  per  hour  40  k.  Within  the  town  line  are  only  two  tanneries  and  two 
candle  and  soap  manufactories.  On  the  14  June,  1891,  Nerchinsk  was  ho- 
noured by  the  visit  of  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II;  His  Majesty  entered 
the  town  through  a  triumphal  arch  specially  erected  for  this  occasion. 

The  important  firms  are:  Butin,  distillery  and  manufactured  goods. 
.Xizhegorodtsev,  haberdashery.  Riff,  manufactured  articles.  Biiivid,  wine  of 
home  manufacture.  (lolumb.  tannery.  From  Nerchinsk,  the  line  follows  the 
left  bank  of  the  Shilka  along  steep  and  rocky  slopes  intersected  by  deep  ravines. 

32)  Bi^nkina.  IV  class  station  (974  v.i.  The  small  Cossack  villa.ge  of 
Biankina  is  close  to  the  station,  belongs  to  the  Nerchinsk  district  and  is 
situated  on  the  Shilka  (houses  66,  pop.  352;  183  males,  169  females).  Between 
the  stations  of  Biankina  and  Bayan,  the  line  |)roceedin,g  along  the  rocky 
slope  of  the  Shilka,  at  the  884  verst,  crosses  the  river  Kuenga  by  an  iron 
bridge  with  an  opening  of  70  sazhens  having  two  spans  of  35  sazhens  each. 

:^3)  Bay^n.  IV  class  station  (1002  v.).  Near  by  is  situated  the  Kokerti'ii 
Portland  cement  manufactory  of  the  Amur  Cement  Company  established  in 
1895.  im  the  left  bank  of  the  Shilka,  four  versts  from  the  small  villai,'i'  id' 
Kokerti'ii,  in  the  Nerchinsk  disti'ict.  The  machinery  and  tools  are  maiie  in 
Germany  at  the  works  of  Nagel  and  Kainpe  in  Hanibur.i:;.  The  produclinn  of 
cement  is  efl'ected  by  the  so-called  dry  system,  the  cement  being  burnt  in 
Dietsch's  jiatent  furnaces  heated  with  rharcnal    The  annual  mitpnt  is   4ti,i«ii) 


THE  TRANSBAIKAI,  RAILWAY. 


375 


iiirls.  conlainiiiir  cacli  in  piuls  nf  inin-  I'l-mi'iit.  Tln'  matt'rials  iMiiployod  are 

limestont'  toimd  within  12  versts  of  tlic  luaiuiliu-tciry.   clay    within  "i.i  vcrsts, 

•id  irypsum  conveyed  from  the  environs  of  Irkutsk.  This  is  the  first  manii- 

tory  in  the  Amur  rejrion.  its  establishment  lieinsr  entirely  due  to  the  gra- 

us    attention    and   approval    evinced    for   this   enterprise    by  the  Imperial 

:  .'sident  of  the  Siberian  Railroad  Committee  at  the  sitting  of  the  12  .Vpril.  ISSo. 

On  it.s  course  between  the  stations  Bayan  and  Sretensk.  the  line  crosses 

the  river  Manatan  l)y  an  iron  buidge  with  an  opening  of  15  sazhens. 

34)  Sretensk.  IV  class  station  (1.035  v.l.  The  Cossack  settlement  of 
Sretensk  (1.4.'iii  feet  above  sea  level)  is  situated  near  the  station  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Kui-eni:;!  with  the  Shilka. 

According  to  the  census  of  1897,  this  village  consisting  of  34!)  houses 
contained  1,710  inhabitants  (SSO  males,  S21  females).  The  last  statistical  re- 
cord shewed  that  the  village  grew  considerably  under  the  influence  of  the 
Great  Siberian  mainline:  the  number  of  houses  is  now  doubled  and  the 
population  increased  to  8,(X)0.  Previously  this  village  was  a  convict  prison, 
which  in  17S3  was  transformed  into  a  district  town  of  the  Irkutsk  viceger- 
ency.    In  17S!>.  the  town  of  Sri-tensk    was    superseded.    At  the    present  time. 


View  of  Sritenslt. 


the  Cossack  village  of  Sretensk  is  included  in  the  Nerchinsk  district.  It  is 
the  residence  of  a  police  otllcer,  .judge,  law-yer,  tax  inspector  and  contains 
a  village  board.  MilitaVy  hospital.  Military  medical  station.  Headquarters  of 
the  Sretensk  reserve  Itattalion.  Convoy  command.  Supply  stores  and  commiss- 
ariat depot.  Crown  saltern.  Post  and  telegraph  otllce  with  savings  bank. 
Managers  assist.int's  ofllce  for  the  1  section  of  the  .Vnuir  St(>amship  antl 
Trade  Company. 

There  are  two  churches:  of  the  Purification  erected  in  17:5*),  and  of  St. 
George  built  in  181*0.  .\  school  with  two  classes  with  a  division  for  artisans 
and  a  parish  school.  .\  branch  of  the  Siberian  Trade  bank  opi-ned  its  opera- 
tions in  April  18!)vt. 

Near  the  landing-place  of  the  Amur  Steamship  and  Trade  Company  is 
an  hotel  kept  by  Mikiilich. 

For  the  assistance  of  the  emigrants,  a  medical  and  feeding  station  was 
established  in  proximity  to  the  Cossa<'k  village:  it  is  also  the  residence  of 
.in  official  entrusted  with  the  regulation  of  the  emigraticm  movement. 

Representing  now  an  important  and  populous  centre  of  trade  and  indus- 
try, the  population  of  Sretensk  contains  only  15  per  cent  of  Cossacks,  the 
remainiuic  85  per  cent  consist  of  diH"ei-ent  classes  (40  per  cent)  and  peasants 


37(;  GUIDK  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

(45  ptT  cent).  The  village  Is  iiarticiilarly  (Milivciinl  iliiriiii;-  the  seasiui  of  nav- 
igation, when  the  totaL  i)oiiulatioii  increases  to  in.oiii),  by  an  adilition  oi 
foreign  woriviuen.  Hero  are  found  representatives  of  almost  all  the  firms  ol 
l\'i;ikhta  and  Cliitd.  Tea  traders;  ivukovin,  liasov,  Liishnikov.  Soix'nnikov  and 
Molchiinov,  the  successors  of  Gubkin  have  their  own  stores.  Among  the  local 
firms  the  most  important  are:  i>ukin.  Shustov  and  Andoverov.  The  trading 
firm  of  Kunst  and  Albers.  which  is  well  known  throughout  the  Amur  i-egion. 
has  a  branch  in  Sretensk.  Within  recent  time,  representatives  of  the  Ir- 
kutsk firms  are  also  met  with  here.  In  consequence  of  the  great  number  of 
trading  offices  and  of  the  (luantity  of  strangers  of  the  trading  class,  a  clerks, 
mutual  aid  soctety  has  been  established  here. 

Sretensk  presents  now  the  most  lively  centre  of  the  Transbaikal,  nm 
excepting  even  Chita.  The  commercial  transactions  accomplished  in  ISSiT 
amounted  to  R.  6,7b9,600.  The  Cossack  administration  somewhat  hinders  the 
commercial  progress  of  Sretensk>  and  stands  in  the  way  of  a  regular  organ- 
isation, considering  itself  as  the  owner  of  tiie  estates  and  lands  adjoining 
the  settled  centre.  The  establishment  of  a  public  municipal  administration 
will  be  the  only  means  to  secure  the  development  of  Sretensk. 

Manufactories  and  works  are  represented  in  Sretensk  by  the  steam  tlour 
mill  of  Lukin,  opened  in  1895;  the  central  body  is  of  wood  and  has  threr 
storeys.  The  steam  engine  is  of  120  H.  P.  It  is  lighted  by  electricity.  The  mill 
is  provided  with  a  drying  apparatus  on  the  Sivers  system.  About  -KX)  puds 
of  grain  are  ground  every  day.  Fur  manufactory  of  Seredkin.  Sheep-skins 
are  bought  in  the  Transbaikal;  the  manufactory  turns  ont  12,000  sheepskins. 
Tanning  materials  are  brought  from  Hamburg;  flour  and  salt  are  obtained  in 
the  same  locality.  The  soap-boilery  of  Weinerman,  with  an  annual  proihuw 
amounting  to  5,000  puds;  soap  is  sold  at  an  average  rate  of  H.  4  (io  k.  per 
l)ud  in  the  Transbaikal  and  in  the  Amur  region. 

On  the  13  June,  1891,  Sretensk  was  honoured  by  the  visit  of  His  Iinp(>rial 
Majesty,  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  11.  then  Heir  Apparent  to  the  throne, 
coming  from  the  Far  East  on  the  steamer  „Yestnik".  The  village  was  hand- 
somely decorated  for  this  occasion.  All  the  Cossacks  and  their  children  fniin 
the  neighbouring  villages  assembled  there  to  meet  their  Imperial  Comman- 
der or  Ataman.  .\t  7  o'clock  in  ihe  evening  of  the  same  day.  after  having 
held  a  review  of  the  assembled  troops,  the  Imperial  Guest  re.  umed  his 
journey  on  the  same  steamer,  ascending  the  Siiilka  to  Xi-rchinsk. 

At  a  distance  of  25  versts  from  Sretensk,  the  steamer  stopped  at  the  right 
bank  nf  the  river,  and  His  Imperial  Majesty  proceeded  to  a  neighbouring 
mountain,  where  he  took  part  in  the  lighting  of  a  bonfire.  A  beautiful  view 
offered  itself  from  the  summit  of  the  mountain  with  the  Shilka  winding  its 
course  below  and  gradually  disappearing  amidst  the  surrounding  hills.  His 
Imperial  .Majesty  and  his  suite  stayed  long  in  contemplation  of  the  beautilu. 
scenery  and  only  at  12  o'clock  in  the  night  returned  to  the  steamer. 

Throughout  the  distance  from  Chita  to  Sretensk  (360  v.).  the  line  runs 
along  the  steep  and  mostly  rocky  side  of  the  river  valleys  of  the  Ingodii  and 
Shilka.  These  valleys  further  on  narrow  to  passes  bounded  by  lofty  and  steep 
elevations.  At  this  place,  the  construction  of  the  line  recpiired  a  gi-eat  amount 
of  blasting  work. 

From  Sretensk.  tho  Shilka-.\nuir  waterway  runs  east,  connectiiiir  the 
Transbaikal  railway  with  the  I'ssuri  line  terminating  at  Vladivostc'ik. 


^ 


Amiir  Territory. 


>k- 


Geographical  position  and  extent  of  the  territory. — Configuration  of 
the  surface.  —  General  characteristics  of  the  Amur  river.  —  Hydro- 
graphical  data. — Duration  of  navigation  aud  importance  of  the  lower 
Amur. — Tributaries:  the  Zeya,  Bur6ya,  Sungari. — Geological  structure 
and  mineral  wealth  (iron-ores,  coal  deposits,  auriferous  gravel  and 
gold  mining  industry,  silver-lead  and  copper  ores,  grey  antimony 
ore,  mineral  springs.).  Climate. — Perpetually  frozen  soil.  -  Flora. — 
Fauna. —  Historical  review  of  the  Amur  country  and  its  colonisation. — 
Population.  (Aratir  Cossack  troops.  Peasants.  Population  of  the  mi- 
nes. Nomad  natives.  Settled  natives).  Land  tenure  and  land  exploi- 
tation —  Industries  (Agriculture.  Cattle-breeding.  Post  traffic.  Carriage 
of  goods  by  road.  Fishing.  Hunting.  Forestry.  Household  industries). — 
Works  and  manufactories.  -Trade. — Ways  of  communication. — Re- 
sults of  surveys  for  the'  Amur  railway. --Necessity  of  Railway  com- 
munications.—Bibliography. 


HE  A.MLR  territory,  composed  of  the  lands  stretchinsi 
along  the  left  bank  of  the  Anii'ir  between  thejiinction 
of  the   Shilka   with  the  Argun  and  the  I'iver  L's.siii-i, 
i.s   situated  between  47'  and  56°  X.  lat.,  91°  and  104'^ 
Iv  long.  L.ving  within  the  tenipei-ate  zone,   it  belongs 
to  one  of  the  most  southern  countries  of  Eastern  Si- 
beria.   Its  frontiers  are:  the  river  .Vmiir  on  the  south 
and  on  the  south-west,  from  the  junction  of  the  rivers 
Shilka  and  Argiin  to  the  river  Ussi'iri;  a  conventional 
boundar.v    line   on   the   west,   from  the  mouth  of  the 
Argiin  to  the  Yablonovy  ridge:  the  Stanovoi  or  Yablonovy 
ridge  on  the  north,  and  a  Straight  line  on  the  cast,  runn- 
ing   from    the    mouth    of  the  L'ssiiri  to  the  source  of  the 
Bureya,   and    further   the   watershed    parting  the    rivers   Zeya 
and  Bureya,  and  the  tributaries  of  the  Amgitna,  the  rivers  Tu- 
gara  and  Uda.   It  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  two  Manchurian 
provinces:    Khei-lun-tsian-shen    and   Tsin-lin-shen.  on  the  west 
by   the   Transbaik;il  territory,  on  the  north  by  the  Yakiitsk  territory  and  on 
the  east  by  the  Littoral  territory.  Holding  the  last  place  annuig  the  Silierian 
governments    and    territories  as  to  its  extent,  it  covers  a  su|)erficial  area  of 
:W:^.;^6t3.6   sipiare   versts.   corresponding   to   the   territory   of  Sweden  without 
Xorwa\. 


378  GLIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

As  regards  the  configuration  of  its  surface,  the  Amur  territory  belongs 
to  the  category  of  mountainous  countries. 

The  Stanovoi  or  Yablonovy  ridge,  which  forms  the  watershed  of  the  Amur 
and  Lena  basin  and  divides  the  Yaki'itsk  and  Amur  territories,  within  the 
limits  ot  the  .\mur  region,  rises  to  an  altitude  of  T.TOO  feet  above  sea-level, 
with  some  places  and  passes  falling  to  2,000  feet.  The  main  range  has  no 
ridge,  and  presents  a  vast  and  flat  elevation  with  immense  blocks  of  grey 
granite  irregularly  scattered  over  it.  The  bare  summits  or  goltsy  are  only 
at  some  places  covered  with  lichens  of  various  colours  or  Avith  creeping  ce- 
dars, whereas  the  lower  gradients  of  the  mountains  are  clothed  with  denS' 
forests  of  fir  trees.  These  mountains  bear  a  gloomy  character,  their  spurs, 
stretching  into  the  Amur  territory  between  the  tributaries  of  the  Amur,  give 
the  same  lugubrious  appearance  to  the  banks  of  these  rivers  which,  espe- 
cially on  their  upper  reaches,  are  hardly  accessible. 

Among  the  branches  sent  out  by  the  mountains,  the  Tukaringra  is  the 
most  important  as  to  its  extent  and  dimensions:  it  is  situated  at  the  upper 
part  of  the  v^^atershed  of  the  Zeya,  in  the  northwestern  i)ortion  of  the  terri- 
tory. Further  south,  the  low'  and  wooded  ridge  Xiukzha  i.s  the  most  exten- 
sive, running  in  close  proximity  to  the  Amur  Basin. 

The  Great  Khingan,  widely  stretching  its  spurs  over  northern  Manchuria, 
crosses  the  Amiir  in  its  upper  course  and,  covering  a  small  part  of  this  ter- 
ritory, occupies  the  watersheds  of  the  rivers  AmazAr  and  Oldoi.  In  the  north- 
western corner  of  Manchuria,  the  low  mountain  ridge  Ilkhuri  Alin  branches 
off  from  the  Great  Khingan  and,  running  perpendicularly  to  its  chief  axis, 
forms  a  slight  curve  following  the  right  bank  of  the  .\miir  from  the  river 
.\lbazikha  to  the  ridges  of  the  Little  Khingan,  mingling  with  the  branches 
of  the  latter.  All  these  chains  of  mountains,  which  at  some  points  rise  to  a 
height  of  .5,000  to  6,000  feet  above  the  sea-level,  are  characterised  by  a  se- 
vere climate. 

The  Little  Khingan  or  the  Burei  ridge  crosses  the  Amur  in  its  middle 
reaches  and,  following  the  meridian  line,  with  its  branches  pushes  the  .\mur 
towards  the  south,  compelling  the  river  to  describe  a  wide  bend.  The  ave- 
rage height  of  these  mountains  does  not  exceed  2,500  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  but  in  their  northern  part,  near  the  source  of  the  Bureya,  many 
of  them  rise  vertically  out  of  the  .s\vampy  taiga  and  attain  an  elevation  of 
6,000  feet.  The  main  ridge  of  this  chain  is  mostly  endowed  with  bare  sum- 
mits studded  with  fallen  stones.  As  they  approach  the  Amur,  these  moun- 
tains become  lower  and  gradually  pass  into  hills  rising  to  a  height  of  only 
1,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river;  they  are  covered  with  a  thick  vegeta- 
tion and  cut  by  deep  valleys. 

The  connecting  link  between  the  Little  Khingiin  and  the  Stanovoi  moun- 
tains is  the  Dzhugdyr  ridge,  forming  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  .\nuir  and 
Udd,  falling  into  the  Okhotsk  Sea. 

The  Burei  ridge  sends  out  to  the  west  the  mountain-chain  of  Turan, 
constituting  the  watershed  of  the  middle  tributaries  of  the  rivers  Zeya  and 
Bureya.  Further  south  runs  the  Vand;i  chain,  forming  a  jtassage  for  the  bed 
of  the  Amiir  between  the  villages  of  Radde  and  of  Yekaterino-.Xikolsk. 

All  the  watersheds  throughout  the  territory  are  occujiied  by  elevated 
plateaus,  which  together  present  an  area  falling  to  the  Pacific  Ocean;  at  some 
places  near  river  basins,  these  plateaus  pass  into  plains,  which  are  some- 
times of  wide  extent.  The  most  important   pasture    jilains   are   those   of   the 


Tea  is  enneloped  in  pajior  with  the  word  ..Tsin-Lun''  printed  in  waterlefters 


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■3(ub(io;e)s  »i|)  JO  oDUjo  djnqsaajaj  }-g  <)i|}  }b  g  3\f  sinoD-OJii  lepedg 


THE  AMUR  TERRITORY. 


379 


Zeya  and  Bun-ya  and  of  the  Middle  Amur.  The  first  occupies  the  whole  of 
the  left  hank  of  the  Zeya,  from  the  point  where  the  river  issues  from  the 
pass,  and  stretches  to  the  Amur  till  the  Little  K'hiniran.  The  other  comprises 
the  left  l>ank  of  the  Amur,  from  the  Little  Khimran  to  the  mouth  of  the  river 
fiondon.  havinir  a  hreadth  of  bO  to  liX)  versls.  Tiie  Zeya  and  Bureya  plain  is 
particularly  well  adapted  for  colonisation  and  agriculture,  covering  an  area 
of  ahoiit  20,aiO  square  versts.  It  contains  most  fertile  lands.  The  territory  is 
watered  by  a  network  of  rivers  and  streams,  forming  one   water-basin. 

The  Amur,  which  is  one  of  the  largest  rivers  of  Asiatic  Russia,  is  callod 
Khei-lun-tsian  by  the  Chinese.  Sakhalin-ula  by  the  Manchurs.  Khara-mun-n 
by  the  Mongols,  Shilkar  by  the  Tungus,  Mangu  or  Mamu  by  the  Gold  Olchis. 
and  Lia  or  Lia-erri  by  the  Giliaks.  The  origin  of  the  Russian  name  is  not 
ascertained;  it  is  most  probable  that  it  comes  from  the  Gold  word  .\lamu: 
others  believe  that  it  is  derived  from  the  Tungus  word  ,amur-  meaning 
.good  peace",  by  which  the  natives  ffro.-t,d  ihi.  i]\-«  Russian  emigrants  in 
this  distant  region  of  the  Par  East. 

From  its  very  beginn- 
ing, viz.  from  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Shilka  with 
the  Argun,  to  the  Cos- 
sack village  of  Albazi'n. 
the  .\miir  flows  in  an 
eastern  direction,  rolling 
its  waters  amidst  rocky 
banks,  intersected  with 
rare  valleys,  covered 
mainly  with  firtrees.  It 
receives  on  the  left  the 
rivers  Amazar  and  Oldoi. 
and  on  the  right  the 
Sapozhki  and  Albazikha. 

Near  the  village  of  Albazin.  the  mountains  fringing  the  .\miir  leave  its 
banks  and  form  velleys  which  are  suitable  for  colonisation.  The  river  sejiai- 
ates  into  several  branches.  Beyond  Albazin.  the  Amur  issues  from  the  mount- 
ain mass  of  the  Great  Khingan  and  flows  towards  the  south-east,  but  the 
country  retains  its  iirevious  character,  the  river  holding  its  course  along  the 
branches  of  the  Xiiikzha  and  other  ridges.  At  some  places  the  bed  of  the 
river  widens,  forming  numerous  islands,  at  others  it  is  confined  between  high 
cliffs.  Here  the  vegetation  changes  perceptibly  and  foliage  trees  predominate 
in  the  valleys,  in  which  occur  black  birch  and  poplar.  The  .\mur  retains  the 
same  character  till  the  river  Kumani.  its  important  right  tributary;  as  it 
approaches  this  point,  the  Annir  widens  .md  muri'  anii  more  frequently 
divides  its  course  into  numerous  branches.  ' 

Near  the  village  of  Kumani.  the  mountain  ridges  from  l)oth  sides  a.irain 
press  closer  to  the  river,  hindering  its  expansion,  but  further  on,  towards 
the  town  of  Blagoveshchensk,  the  mountains  become  lower  and  gradually 
retire  into  the  interior  of  the  country. 

The  town  of  Blagovt-shchensk  stands  at  the  mouth  of  the  Zeya.  which  is 
the  most  important  left  tributary  of  the  Amur  and  represents  the  extreme 
point  of  the  mountainous  country  on  the  upper  course  of  the  Amur.  Here  the 


Mail  and  passenger  steamer  .John  Coclierill-  of  the  Amur  Steam 
ship  and  Trade  Company. 


380 


GUIDE  TO  Till')  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


The  steamer  „Ingoda"  of  the  Amill  Steamship  Company. 


vcii'i'tation  i.s  niiunl.v  cumposccl  nf  lolian'e  ti'ei'.s:  dwarf    Dak,    hazrl,  black   ami 
white  birch,  Sii)crian  applo-trec.  Iiawtiiurn,  linden  and  acacia. 

HetwiNMi  (be  river.s  Zeya  and  Hiii'(^ya.  whicli  are  ether  two  iinpnrt;inl 
tributaries,  a  level  steppe  borders  upon  the  Amiir  Uiv  a  di.stance  of  about 
300  versts,  stretching  to  the  north.  Beyond  tbe  viliaue  of  Innokentievskaya. 
tielow  thi^  month  of  the  Buri''ya.  the  ciinntr\   ^'radually  changes,    assuming  a 

more  broken  surface, 
nifmntains  appear  again 
which,  at  the  village  of 
Raddc  ap]iroach  the  ri- 
ver and  run  parallel  to 
its  bed  for  a  distance 
of  100  versts,  foi'ining  a 
steep  and  higli  ridge 
known  under  the  name 
of  till'  Hnri'i  or  IJttle 
Khing.'in 

Tbe  flora,  which 
further  oti'  from  Bla- 
troveshchensk  assumes 
more  and  more  varied 
forms,  here  becomes 
luxuriant.  Issuing  from 
ihr  HuriM  ridge,  near  flu^  village  nf  Yekaterino-Xikidsk,  tbe  Amur  once  more  wid- 
ens, formin.g  a  great  number  of  islands.  Its  shores  are  generally  low  and  slop- 
ing, with  a  steppe  vegetation  growin.g  on  a  swampy  soil.  Among  the  affluents 
falling  into  the  Amur  within  this  distrii-.t,  the  most  remarkable  are,  on  the  i-ight: 
the  Ui,  Rungari  and  the  Ussuri;  on  the  left:  the  Khora,  the  Great  Biraandthe 
Tungi'iska.  From  tbe  mouth  ot  the  Sungari,  falling  into  the  Amur  l.'ii)  versts 
below  the  Little  Khingan,  under  47°  42'  N.  lat.  and  102°  E.  long,  the  Amiir 
flows  N.  E.  A  plain  follow^s  its  course  from  the  Sungari  to  the  Ussuii  and 
stretches  further  tor  a  distance  ot  150  versts.  The  yellowish  and  turbid  waves 
of  the  Sungai'i',  upon  falling  into  the  Amur,  do  not  mingle  with  its  waters,  but 
form  two  distinct  white  and  black  currents.  Further  on  tiie  waters  mix  to- 
gether, and  assume  a  yellowish  tint.  Upon  its  junction  with  the  Ussuri.  I  lie 
Amur  flows  within  the  confines  of  the  Littoral  territory.  From  the  nuiutli  of 
the  Ussuri  to  the  Lake  Kizi,  the  river  runs  northwards  for  a  distance  of  800 
versts.  The  islands  become  larger  and  are  covered  with  a  scanty  vegetation. 
The  mountains  first  follow  the  right  bank,  which  is  intersected  by  the  narrow- 
valleys  of  its  tributaries,  am(Hig  which  the  most  important  is  the  Kiuidiin. 
At  a  distance  of  150  versts  below  the  mouth  of  the  Ussuri,  the  mountains 
pass  to  the  left  side  and  at  some  places,  between  the  Sungari  and  Goria") 
come  up  close  to  the  river.  Below  the  mouth  of  the  Sungari,  the  vegetation 
becomes  more  scanty,  assuming  .irradually  the  character  of  the  flora  proper 
to  the  upper  parts  of  the  .\miir.  From  the  mouth  of  the  Corfn  commences  a 
plain  dotted  with  lakes  which  stretches  along  the  left  bank  of  the  Amur. 
The  opposite  side  is  covered  with  the  spurs  of  theSikhote  Ali'n.  At  the  mouth 
of  the  Amgnn,  flowing  in  on  the  left  under  53°  X.  lat..  the  left  bank  of  the 
Amur  becomes  also  mountainous,  the  .\ni,gun  mountains  come  up  close  to 
the  river.  After  havin.g  received  this  important  triliutary.  the  Amur  skirts 
the   northern    extremit,\'  of  the  Sikhote  Alin.  which  hinders  its  junction  with 


—  )    L 


THE  AMUR  TKRRITORY. 


381 


the  orcan.  and  ixiurs  its  watcM's  into  tlio  Tatar  Strait,  torniiiii;  a  wide  linian 
called  the  Aniiir  liman.  The  breadth  ol  the  Amur  at  its  moiiih  between 
Capes  Tebiikh  and  Pron.ire  is  14  versts.  Here  the  banks  of  the  river  are  frinired 
with  wooded  mountain  rid.ires  which  at  some  places  fall  to  the  water's 
ed.ire  forminir  steeii  and  rocky  clitls.  Th(>  basin  of  the  Amur  comprises  about 
37.()(*)si|uare.i;eo,i;ra|)hical  miles,  its  approximate  leni^th  is  4.5(X)  versts,  it'ihc 
river  Ar.^iun  is  taken  as  the  .source  of  the  Amur  basin.  From  the  junction  i«l' 
the  Shilka  with  the  Argun  to  the  town  of  .\ikolaev.sk.  the  Amur  has  alen^nh 
of  2.(i(X)  versts.  No  seneral  levellinjr  has  yet  been  made,  and  its  lev(d  and 
velocity   can    only  be  determined  from  some  occasional  observations;  on  the 


Passenger  steamer  ..Amur"  of  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  Communication. 


average  it  may  be  supposed  that  between  Ust  Strelka  and  Hlagoveshcjicnsk 
the  water  level  falls  I  foot  per  verst,  whereas  further  on  to  Xikolaevsk  it 
only  falls  one-quarter  of  a  foot  per  verst.  T^lw  depth  of  tlie  water  is  very 
various,  from  2  and  3  feet  to  several  sazhens. 

The  .\mur  is  navigable  throughout  its  entire  coiir.se.  although  the  exist- 
ing bars,  mainly  consisting  of  lai-ge  l)oulders.  present  a  serious  impedi- 
ment. The  number  of  bars,  from  the  junction  of  the  Shilka  with  the  Argun 
to  the  mouth  of  the  river  is  121,  the  depth  of  the  water  covering  them  vary- 
ing from  2' 4  to  I.3V2  feet.  The  water  level  is  very  inconstant.  The  river 
overflows  its  banks  in  .July  and  .\ugust,  when  the  water  rises  sometimes 
7  sazhens  above  its  ordinary  level  and  causes  great  damage.  The  water  freezes 
gradually.  The  navigation  season  between  Sretensk  and  Xikolaevsk  on 
the  average  comprises  14<1  days.  The  river  is  navigable  in  May.  June,  .luly 
and  August  between  Xikolaevsk  and  Blagoveshchensk  on  vessels  with  a 
draught  of  .5  feet,  above  Blagovt'-shchensk  to  Sretensk  with  a  drauirht  of 
3' 2  feet.  In  Se|>tember,  vessels  drawing  over  4  feet  bound  for  Blagoveshchensk 
and  3  feet  for  Sn-tensk,  run  serious  risks.  The  lower  reaches  of  the  Amur, 
between  the  town  of  Sofiisk  and  its  mouth,  for  a  distance  of  about  400  versts. 
havinr;  a  breadth  of  2 — 3  versts  and  more,  and  a  very  deep  channel  of  several 
scores  of  sazhens  may  be  designated  as  the  maritime  [lart  of  the  .\nuir. 
suitable  for  the  navigation  of  large  sea-goinir  vessels.  This  characteristic  of 
the  lower  .Vnuir,  with  speculations  (•oiicerning  the  establishment,  of  a  sea- 
port at  Sofiisk  in  the  interior  of  the  continent,  is  to  be  found  in  the  work 
of  Professor  Timonov,  the  eminent  explorer  of  the  water-ways  of  the  Amiir 
country. 

Among  the  numerous  tributaries  of  the  Amiir,  wateriiiir  thi>  territory  and 
representing  the  most  important  waterwa\s,  may  be  mentioiieil  tiu'  Zf.\a  and 
Bureya  falling  in  on  the  left,  and  the  Sungari,  on  the  right. 

The  Zeya  is  the  most  extensive  left  tributary  of  the  Amiir:  it  rises  in 
the  southern  slope  of  the  Stanovoi  ridge  and  flows  towards  the  Anuir  from 


382 


GUIDE   TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


north  to  smith  along'  a  iiictiii'csiiui'  ami  liilly  valU'.\'.  passing  furthoi-  on  intn 
a  platoau. 

At  the  present  time,  the  basin  of  the  Zeya  has  a  special  signifirance  in 
the  country,  its  lower  valley  and  that  of  its  tributaries  representing  the  part 
of  the  Zeya  and  Bureya  plain  most  fit  for  colonisation.  The  upper  and  middlr 
tributaries  abound  in  rich  gold  mines.  The  total  length  of  the  Zeya  is  not 
e.xactly  ascertained,  its  upper  reaclu^s  being  hardly  explored;  it  is  approxim- 
ately estimated  at  1,000  versts.  Its  breadth  varies  from  100  sazhens  i  ■ 
3'.2  versts  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Belaya.  The  depth  is  from  a  few  IV.  i 
to  10  sazhens,  the  water  level  being  very  uncertain  varies  in  a  proportimi 
of  5  to  6  sazhens.  The  water  surface  rises  several  times  during  the  sumnitr 
in  a  very  short  time,  considerably  damaging  the  banks:  the  river  j)eriodically 
overflows  the  pasture  valleys  which  then  present  an  immense  body  of  water. 
The  navigation  on  the  Zeya,  like  on  the  Amur,  lasts  for  more  than  5  months, 
from  the  1  May  to  the  1-10  October.  The  Zeya  affords  a  very  important  and 
busy  waterway,  being  practicable  for  large  vessels  for  a  distance  of  (i.iT 
versts  from  the  mouth,  and  generally  navigable  for  a  distance  of  Ukk)  versts; 
the  bars  offer  the  sole  impediment  to  navigation.  Chief  anmng  its  tributa- 
ries is  the  Selimdzha  with  a  total  length  of  700  \ersts.  and  navigable  for 
250  versts  from  its  estuary. 

The  Bureya  or  Niuman  Ri'ra  rises  in  the  Bureya  or  Little  Khingiin  ridge 
and  has  two  sources,  which  have  the  character  of  mountain  streams.  Uniting 
their  course  into  one  bed  with  a  breadth  of  50— liO  sazhens,  the  river  enters 
a  wide  valley.  After  its  junction  with  the  Xinian,  falling  from  the  right,  the 
mountains  again  press  the  valley  nn  both  sides  foi-ming   granite   cliiTs  with 


Tow-steamer  Khabarovka  of  the  Ministry  oi  Ways  of  Coniriiunication. 


a  hei.ght  of  soo  feet  abuve    the  level  (if  the  river.    Within    2(X)   versts    of   its 
mouth,  the  high  rocks  vanish  and  the  river  flows  along  a  level  plain  endowe^ 
with    an    abundant    vegetation.     The    Bureya   has    a    length   of   about 
versts  and  a  breadth  varying  from  -to  to  ;^50   sazhens,  it  is  pretty    deep,  but' 
its  bed  is  rocky   and    full   of   bars,   and   characterised    by  a  swift   tide.   The ' 
change  of  the  surface  depends   mainly  on   the  rainfall   and   is   very  rapid;] 
sometimes  the  water  rises  S  sazhens  above  its  ordinaiy   level  in   the   space 
of  a  day,  and  as  quickly  falls  again.  For  a  distance  of  '200  versts,  from    the 
mouth  to  the  Paikonsk  stores,  the  river  is  navigable  for  steamiM's.  thence  to 
the  Chekundin  stores  situated  within  400  versts  of  the  mouth,   navigation  is 
possible,  although  offering  some  ditl'iculties  on  account  of  the  rapid  current 
The  country,   within   range  of  the    Bureya,  is  scantily   settled,   although    its 
headwaters  and  those  of  the  Xi'nian  are  the  centre  of  the  richest  gold  mines, 
find  are  undoubtedly  jirovided  wich  other  ininenil  treasures. 

The  Sungiiri.  flowini;-  bevond  the  confines  of  Russian  territoi'y  ;uul  belong- 


THE  A>rUR  TERRITORY. 


383 


linir  til  Manchuria  is  specially  imiiortant  in  the  Amur  I'l-irion,  allnnlinu'  a 
natural  connoxion  with  China.  This  rivt>r  tcvk(\><  its  rise  in  the  Ctian-lxt-shan 
niouniain.s  near  Korea  and  winds  its  course  as  a  narrow  mountain  stream. 
l)Ul  near  the  town  of  GIrin,  within  150  versts  of  its  source,  it  widens  to  a 
lireadth  of  100  sazhens  and  attains  a  depth  of  12  feet. 

N'car  the  town  of  Bodune,  the  Sun.iiari  receives  the  Xonni.  wlience  it 
takes  tile  name  of  (iu-an-diin.  and  chanires  into  a  siuirgishi.v  flowing  stream 
studded  with  islands,  with  a  breadth  of  2' 4  versts  and  a  depth  of  iV  4  feet. 
1  pon  receiving  the  tributaries  Mudan-tsian.  Khihin-klu'.  Taun-khi' and  others, 
ilie  tiungari  deepens  and,  separating  into  several  l)ranches.  falls  on  the  right 
into  the  .\mui*,  35  versts  above  the  Cossack  village  of  Mikhail-Simionovsky 
forming  a  whole  archiitelago  of  islands.  The  course  of  the  Sungari  extends 
to  2.iK)0  Versts.  Its  water  is  of  a  dirty  l)rown  colour  and  so  turbid  in  its 
lower    part    as   to    be    unfit  for  drinking    without  lieing    pi-eviously    strained. 


The  dredger  ..Aiiiui" 


From  the  town  id(iirin.  the  river  valli'v  is  tliiekl\  settled,  containinu,-  a  popul- 
ation of  several  millions.  Its  lower  reaches,  at  about  200  versts  fi'om  the 
mouth,  remain  almost  deserted,  the  ri,i;ht  bank  alone  affording  shelter  to 
rare  settlements  of  (iolds.  In  the  XVII  centur\-.  this  i-iver  was  known  to  the 
Cossacks  under  the  name  of  Shungala,  and  one  of  the  inoneers  of  this  epoch. 
the  Cossack  .Steininov,  twice  went  up  the  river  in  search  of  provisions.  Since 
the  conclusion  of  the  Aigi'in  treaty,  the  Russians  have  possessed  the  rl.sht 
of  free  navigation  on  the  Sungari. 

The  geological  structure  of  thi'  .\mui-  basin    and  of  the    .\n)ur   territory, 
as    yet    insufficiently  explored,    otVers   the   same   formations   throughout    the 
regions  investigated,  permitting  a  rou.gh  determination  of  its  .seneral  charac- 
ter. The  Stanovoi  ridge,  bounding  the  northern  part  of  the  territory,  as  well 
as  its  branches,  consists  mainly  of  crystalline  rocks.   On  the  southern  slope, 
there  is  a  streak  of  limestone.  exten<lin.ir  from  the  soin-ce  of  the  Zi'va  through 
the  headwaters  of  the  Oldiii  to  the  Shilka.  Then    comes  a  marked  and  lii'oad 
strip  of  lamellated  clay  slates  and   conglomerates   with    considerable   seams 
of  coal.   Judging   by  the  rich  collection  of   impressions   of   jdants   found    by 
i  Schmidt   in  the  clay  slates,   these  strata  belong   to   the  Jurassic    formations 
ind,  in  their  organic  remains,  jiresent  a  irreat    likeness  to  the  cai'boniferous 
rata  of  Jurassic   formation,   occurring   in  other   moi-e   conipletelv    exjdored 
Hintries.  White  sand.stone   and  clay   with   seams  of  coal  of  inferior  quality 

24a 


384 


GUinE    TO  TlIK  GKIiAT  .SlIiERIAN   RAILWAY. 


oxtrmd  to  tlie  snuth.  Those  arc?  the  geolojiiesl  systems  charactcrisinij  tho 
middle  Anu'ir  Ixvsin.  The  t'rei|iient  remains  nf  foliage  trees  and  the  i|iiantity 
of  timber  are  evidence  of  the  tertiary  formation  in  this  basin.  The  higli 
cllfis  of  white  clay  and  sandstone,  oecurHnj;  in  this  district,  are  linown  under 
the  name  ofTsagayan.  Appearing  on  the  Amur  above  the  civer  Kumara,  they 
are  remarkable  on  account  of  the  smoke  emitted  by  their  summits  on  a 
windless  and  clear  day.  Glenn  has  proved  that  it  comes  from  a  seam  of  self- 
burning  brown  coal  enibedded  in  the  heart  of  the  mountain.  On  the  wiiole 
expanse,  consisting  of  tertiary  systems,  occur  also  crystalline  rocks  with 
various  transitions  to  se(Jimentary  formations.  The  crystalline  rocks  include 
sometimes  seams  of  coal  transformed  into  graphite.  Outcrops  of  volcanic 
rocks  havi?  been  discovered  near  the  Cossack  village  of  Bibikovo  and  in  some 
other  localities,  mainly  at  the  junction  of  the  Amur  with  the  Ussiiri.  Within 
20  versts  of  the  junction  with  the  Tunguska,  Batsevich  discovered  the  soli- 
tary mountain  Ale,  which  proved  to  be  an  ancient  volcano,  consisting  of 
dark  basalt.  The  geological  map  of  the  Amur  territory  and  the  great  extent 
of  the  various  formations  require  much  scientific  amplification  and  expla- 
nation, offering  a  wide  scope  for  further  scientific  researches  The  mineral 
wealth  of  the  Amur  basin  is  represented  by  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  var- 
ious ores. 

Iron-ores  occur  so  plentifully  that  they  may  be  said  to  form  the  subsoil 
of  the  Amur  basin.  Great  masses  and  layers  of  these  ores  are  found  amidst 
limestone,  diorite  and  melaphire.  The  abundance  of  iron  lying  close  to  the 
surface,  according  to  Bogoliubsky,  explains  the  strong  magnetic  action  ob- 
served in  some  i)laces  of  the  Amiir  region,  as  for  example  in  the  depression 
bounded  by  the  Daurian  plateau,  the  Stanovoi  ridge  and  the  Bureya  moun- 
tains. In  spite  of  this  almost  incrediljle  abundance  of  iron,  this  metal  remains 
unexploited. 

Coal-measures  heve  been  found  at  many  places.   Numerous   outcrops   of 
black  slate  of  Jurassic  formation  have  been  discovered  in  the  upper,  part  of 
the  Amur,  near  the  river  Oldoi  and  the  village    of   Cherniaev.   Lower   down] 
the  Amur,  near  tho  settlement  of  Anosov.    brown    coal    or   lignite   has    been ' 
found  in  cuttings  of  the  Zagayan  mountain,  near  the  mouth  of  the   Kumara. 
Between  the  settlements  of  Korsakov  and  Kazakevich,  occur  sandstone    and 
clay  slates  with  seams  of  brown  coal;  .30  versts  above  Blagoveshchensk,  there 
are  outcrops  of  foliated  brown  coal  of  tei'liary  formation:  9  versts  above  the 
station    of  Inokentievskaya,    deposits  of  the  same  mineral  have   been    found 
along  the  right  bank  of  the  Amur,  which  also  occur  further  on;  on  the  Zeya, 
coal  has  been  discovered  within  range  of  its  upper  reaches;  on    the    Bureya^ 
it  was  found  in  18-14,  by  the  Academician  Middendorf  and   was    qualified   as] 
good;   according  to  its  composition,  this  coal    is   of  Jurassic    formation.   The 
Bureya  coal  has  since  been  more  fully  tested  and.  from  its  quality    and    the 
physical  con<litions  attending  its  ex|iloitation,  has  been    declared    to    lie    the. 
best  mineral  fuel  hitherto  found  in  the  upper  and  middle  parts  of  the  Amiir  basin. 

The  gold  niines  of  the  Ami'ir  basin,  on  account  of  their  abundance  and 
extent,  render  the  gold-mining  industry  the  chief  economicial  feature  of  the 
country.  Among  the  gold-mining  districts  of  the  Russian  KmjMre,  the  .\miir 
territory  ranks  third,  yielding  precedence  to  the  Ural  and  the  Yakutsk  terri- 
tory, as  far  as  concerns  the  quantity  of  gold  gotten.  As  regai'ds  the  propor- 
tion of  gold  found  in  the  mines  of  tlir  .\iuui'.  it  is  only  inferior  to  that  of  the 
Yakutsk  mines. 


TlIK  AMI'H  TKKIJIT'iUY.  385 

Geographically,  \\u:  unlil  mines  ediniirise  th(>  rullnwing  systems: 

1)  System  ef  the  I'ivers  I  izlialintia  ami  (ildiW. 

These  mines  were  iliscevereil  in  l.S(i(i  hy  engineer  Anusov  fer  I  he  |iari 
el'  the  Llp|HT-Amiir  Company.  Assiduously  working  the  mines,  the  cdnipany 
ohtained  from  them,  during  a  space  of  twenty  years,  2,500  puds  nf  g.ihl.  In 
ISSti  these  minims,  containing  still  a  considerahle  supply  of  gcild,  were  leased 
to  employees  of  the  company,  who  even  now,  hy  careful  and  economic  digg- 
ing, ohtain  ahout  (iO  puds  of  gold  annually.  Out  of  tlie  ,>S  areas  named,  1.5 
are  woi'ked  hy  small  miners  and  ilu'  ewiiers  of  th<»  Ui>per  Amur  (Company. 
Situated  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Dzhaliiula  and  Oldoi,  the  mines  are 
within  100  versts  of  the  Amur.  Communication  with  them  is  maintained  hy 
wiieel  traffic,  fnun  th(>  Itzhali'nda  landing-place  on  the  .\miir  to  the  central 
\asiliev  mine.  .\ll  the  other  mines  are  situated  at  a  distance  of  n — 7  versts 
from  each  otluM-.  Tln'  workmen,  emidoyed  in  the  mines  hy  contract,  are  mainly 
Siherian  peasants,  and  voluntary  gold-diggers  who,  having  received  the  |)er- 
mission  to  rework  the  auriferous  area,  are  under  tlie  ohligation  to  delixiT  ilie 
gold  ohtained  to  the  owner  of  the  mine  at  a  i)revi(iusly  fixed  and  generally 
very  low  rate:  they  go  hy  the  name  of  .stai'atel"  and  are  mainly  Chinese. 
The  maintenance  of  a  workman  varies  fi-om  R.  tiiKt  to  K.   Kiiiit  a  year. 

2)  System  of  the  Zeya. 

a)  Mines  of  the  Upper  Amur  Company. 

This  company,  which  is  the  oldest  throughout  the  Amur  region,  was 
fiuinded  hy  Bernard.iki  in  186.H.  It  owns  a  total  of  ahout  .50  aui-ifei'ous  sections, 
in  which  only  lo  niin(>s  are  worked  every  year.  The  exploitation  is  carried  on 
in  an  economical  fashion  hy  means  of  open  cuttings,  the  gold  gravel  is  con- 
veyed to  the  washing  apparatus  on  trucks  set  on  rails  or  with  the  help  of 
cranes:  the  gold  gravel  is  washed  mainly  in  a  one-barrel  machine,  worked 
hy  steam.  The  annual  amount  of  gold  received  by  the  comi)any  varies  freiu 
120  to  l.'>o  puds.  The  contingent  of  miners  nuistly  consists  of  jjeasants:  th(.' 
annual  pay  dut>  to  a  workman  emphiyed  by  contract  amounts  to  R.  l,2t)0.  The 
population  attached  to  the  mines  amounts  to  2.500.  The  headi|uarters  of  the 
company  is  situated  on  the  Zeya,  657  versts  above  Blagoveshchensk.  It  is 
connected  with  the  .Vmur  water  system  hy  a  navigable  route  by  means  of 
steamers  belonging  to  the  company:  the  numerous  mines  are  reached  by 
carriage  roads.  All  the  mines  worked  are  connected  with  each  other  and 
with  the  landing-place  on  the  Zeya  by  telei)hone,  itself  connected  with  the 
whole  network  of  telegraphs  of  the  Empire.  The  mines  are  jirovided  with 
several  churches  and  hospitals  and  with  two  schools  for  the  elementary  edu- 
cation of  the  em|)loyees'  and  workmen's  children. 

h)  The  mini's  of  the  Zeya.  Upper  Zi'ya.  Ozhali'm.  United,  of  the  llikaii 
and  Magot  Company,  were  formed  in  1H94  into  a  joint  stock  (^ompan.\'  under 
the  name  of  the  United  Gold  Mining  Com|)any.  All  these  mines  are  united 
under  a  comr.ion  administration.  The  Leonov  mine  is  the  richest:  it  belongs 
to  the  Dzhab'insk  Co,  and.  worked  continuously  from  188.S  to  ISS5.  has  yielded 
7.^  puds  of  g(dd.  The  continirent  <if  workmen  is  mainly  composed  id'  i)eas- 
ants,  ainnng  them  the  (^hinese  forming  15  ])er  cent.  The  annual  i)ay  due  to 
a  workman  varies  from  R.  1,480  to  R.  1,6.50.  The  company  possesses  two  steamers 
in  the  Amur  basin  for  the  conveyance  of  supplies  and  men.  Among  the  250  gold 
sections  allotted  for  exploitation,  only  about  .30  or  40  are  under  work.  The 
sy.steni  of  exploitation  and  the  conditions  of  the  miners  are  the  same  as  in 
the  mines  of  the  Upper  Amur  Company. 


386  r.l  IDK  TO  TMK  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 

3)  System  of  the  Huri-ya. 

The  mines  belonging  to  this  system  are  situated  along  the  Xmian.  ilie 
right  tfibutary  of  the  Bureya,  within  TOO  versts  of  Blagoveshchensk.  Thtsf 
mines  were  discovered  in  1874  and  the  gerater  part  of  them  belong  to  the 
.\iman  Gold  Mining  Compan.x  and  to  the  brothers  Biitin.  Conveyance  from 
the  mines  to  tiie  town  of  Blagoveshchensk  otTers  great  difficulties;  in  summer 
it  is  effected  partly  by  steamers  on  the  Amur  and  Bureya.  partly  by  boats 
tugged  up  the  Bure.\a  by  men  or  horses,  and  also  on  horseback  in  the  rocky 
and  mountainous  districts.  Among  the  65  auriferous  sections,  not  more  than 
s  or  10  are  worked  at  a  time.  The  work  is  done  by  means  of  open  cuttings 
and  shafts  The  gold  gravel  is  conveyed  to  the  machine  by  trucks  on  rails 
drawn  by  a  steam  engine,  the  washing  apparatus  is  also  worked  by  steam. 
The  quantity  of  gravel  washed  annually  in  the  mines  amounts  to  l,=S.(K)i).0(i!i  - 
19,000,000  puds,  the  output  of  gold  is  70  puds  wMth  an  average  proportion  nl 
11/2  to  4'/2  zolotniks  to  a  pud  of  gravel. 

The  workmen  hired  by  contract  for  a  year  are  mainl.\  peasants;  the 
Tungus  (60  per  cent).  Chinese  and  Koreans  (30  per  cent)  predominate  anumg 
the  free  gold-diggers.  The  Chinese  are  also  employed  for  domestic  work, 
fulfilling  the  office  of  servant  and  cook  in  the  houses  of  mine  employees.  The 
maintenance  of  one  workman  varies  from  R.  I..i00  to  R.  l.SOO  per  annum.  .\ 
church  is  attached  to  the  mines  and  there  are  several  hos]>itals  with  rooms 
for  outpatiiMits  and  dispensaries:  a  meteorological  station  has  been  established 
at  the  Sofia  mine,  supplied  with  implements  by  the  Chief  Physical 
Observatory. 

4)  System  of  the  Khingan. 

This  system  is  situated  on  the  headwaters  of  tiie  rivers  .-^uian  ami 
Bidzhan.  which  are  small  tributaries  of  the  .\mur.  The  exploitation  of  thisc 
mines  was  started  in  1SS6  and,  on  account  of  their  easy  access  and  tlicir 
situation  within  60verstsof  the  Amur,  they  attracted  a  great  number  of  miners. 
but  no  important  discoveries  having  been  made,  they  soon  fell  oiT,  and  the 
mines  were  contracted  to  Russian  and  Chinese  free  golddiggers  at  the  rate 
of  R.  2.50  k.  per  zolotnik. 

With  respect  to  exploitation,  the  aui'iferous  strata  in  the  Anuir  mines  aic 
favourably  conditioned,  lying  on  an  average  about  a  sazhen  deep.  The  auri- 
ferous seam  attains  a  thickness  of  about  half  a  sazhen,  and  the  mines  arc 
generally  worked  by  open  cast,  shafts  being  laid  only  in  the  Ximan  system. 
In  spite  of  the  distance  which  lies  between  the  gold  mines  and  water  com- ■ 
munication.  the  difficult  transportation,  the  expensive  maintenance  of  th^' 
workmen,  together  with  many  other  unfavourable  economic  conditions,  \hr 
production  and  the  number  of  worked  mines  gradually  increases  in  the  Amiii' 
territory.  It  has  been  noticed  that  till  the  year  1892,  large  gold-mining  entei 
prises  predominated  over  small  gold  industry  and  free  gold-digging,  whidi 
hardly  existed  before  but.  within  the  last  ten  years,  have  received  a  consiil- 
erable  development. 

To  the  present  time,  all  the  gold-mining  companies  have  carried  on  a 
i-apacious  exploitation  of  the  gold  gravel,  working  only  the  strata  with  a 
proportion  of  over  1'  2  zolotnik  to  100  puds  of  gravel,  abandoning  or  entirely 
neglecting  places  where  the  gravel  contained  a  proportion  of  even  one  zo- 
lotnik. Upon  the  opening  of  traftic  on  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  reducini: 
tile  rate  of  transiiort  for  all  gold-mining  goods  and  appliances,  the  working 
of  the  gravel,  hitherto  considered  insufficiently  rich,  will  undoubtebly  be  i-e- 


THE  ANRIR  TERRITORY.  887 

sumed  and  prove  profitable.  Besides  auriferous  gravel,  rock  gold  has  been 
found  in  the  systems  of  r>z;ilta  and  [>zhal6n. 

Silver  and  lead  ores  have  been  discovered  on  thi'  slopes  of  the  Stanovoi 
ridge,  near  the  headwaters  'if  the  Kuiniri.  ti  ibiitary  to  the  Zeya. 

Co()per-ore  occurs  on  many,  ridges  running  alonir  the  .\miir.  the  Zeya  and 
Bureya,  and  also  on  the  Khingan  mountains. 

.\nlimony  has  been  recently  discovered  by  the  mining  engineer  Batsi'-vich 
on  the  Bikuchan  mountain,  situated  near  the  Sagibovsk  settlement,  .332  versts 
beyond  Blagoveshchensk.  It  occurs  in  solid  masses  or  forms  pointed  crystals 
of  lead-grey  cnlour.  From  a  practical  standpoint,  this  discovery  is  very  im- 
l)ortant.  mainly  because  till  lately  no  antimony  fit  lor  exploitation  has  ever 
benn  found  in  the  Russian  Empire,  whereas  its  inipiM-t  has  been  increasing 
every  year. 

Mineral  springs,  (in  the  [e\\  bank  of  the  .Vnuir.  within  .3  ver.sts  of  the 
settlement  of  Ignashina  and  740  versts  above  Blagoveshchensk,  is  the  Igna- 
shensk  minei'al  spring  containing  alkaline  and  chalybeate  water,  characterised 
by  a  very  low  temperature  (.+0.5^  C).  There  is  no  accomodation  for  [latienls 
and  the  springs  are  rarely  visited. 

As  regards  other  minerals,  the  Ami!ir  territory  still  nniaiiis  (|uitc  a  terra 
incognita.  The  climate  of  the  Amiir  territory  is  continental,  and  in  spite  of 
its  southern  position  is  unfavourable.  Professor  Voi'ikov  includes  this  country 
among  those  constituting  the  northern  border  of  the  vast  monsoon  region 
extending  over  Korea,  Manchmia,  the  whole  of  China  to  Khuan-khe,  and  the 
eastern  part  of  Indo-China.  The  winter  throughout  this  territory  is  very  long 
and  cold,  the  summer,  which  lasts  only  for  three  months,  being  very  hot. 
The  spring  begins  alter  the  20  March,  the  summer  in  the  beginning  of  May, 
the  autumn  in  the  first  days  of  September  and  the  winter  in  the  beginning 
of  October.  The  mean  annual  temperature  fluctuates  between— 4.3"  in  .Mba- 
zin,  —  0.7^  in  the  town  of  Blagoveshchensk,  +  0.7°  in  Yekaterino-Nik61.sk 
and -f- 0.6°  in  Khabarovsk,  thus  the  average  temperature  throughout  the 
territory  is  below  zero.  The  difference  between  the  mean  temperatures  of  the 
coldest  and  hottest  months  is  very  great: 

,,,      .  -28.4°  C.  _,^^o 

Albazin -1-188°  C       ^^''^  " 

.^5  5  ^  C 

Blagoveshchensk TTToTj^  C  ^  ■i^-^  ■ 

Yekaterino-Xikolsk .  qi  V'^'TJ"  "^  42.9". 

—  22  4°  C.  -T 

Khabarovsk — .^""  o  p    =  ^-^ 

The  irregular  distribution  of  the  rainfall,  which  depends  on  the  direction 
of  the  monsoon,  exerts  a  marked  intluence  on  the  temperature.  r>uring  the 
five  months  corresitonding  with  the  period  of  vegetation,  from  May  to  Sept- 
ember, the  rainfall  amounts  to  271.7  mm.  in  .Vlbazin,  and  493.3  mm.  in  Kha- 
barovsk: during  the  other  seven  months,  the  rainfall  attains  only  from  02.3  mm. 
t<i  lOit.4  mm.  This  abundance  of  the  rainfall  in  summer  combined  with  snow- 
less  and  cold  winters  is  very  unfavouralile  to  vegetation,  particularly  to 
corn,  producing  an  unnatural  growth  which  diminishes  its  nutritiousness.  The 
dew  ha.s  very  little  effect  on  the  vegetation,  thanks  to  the  abundance  of  the 
rainfall   and    the  clouds  dui-ing  the  warm  season.  The  total  ipiantity  of  dew 


388  GUIDK   TO  THE  UKEAT  S1BE141AN  RAILWAY. 

railing  in  thn  re.diiin  has  nevei'  been  ascertained.  Clouds  and  rainfall  occur 
more  frequently  in  summer  than  in  winter.  The  rainy  and  damp  season  com- 
mences at  the  enil  of  June  or  in  the  middl(>  of  July,  and  reaches  its  maxim- 
um in  August,  lasting  throughout  this  month  and  very  often  to  the  middle 
of  Sei)tember.  This  al)undanc<'  of  rains,  produced  l>y  the  winds  blowing  from 
the  east,  turns  the  soil  iPito  mud,  reiulering  it  for  a  space  of  several  week.s 
and  generally  throughout  the  nuinth  of  August  unfit  for  cultivation.  Already 
at  the  end  of  September,  the  temperature  falls  so  low  that  the  stagnant  wat- 
ers and  small  streams  freeze.  Near  Albazin.  the  Ami'ir  is  covered  by  a  thin 
cover  of  ice  about  the  .S  September,  and  at  Blagoveshchensk  about  the  S  th. 
The  .\mur  fn-ezes  fast  in  its  upper  reatdies  between  the  l.'j  and  25  October, 
and  at  Blagoveshchensk  between  the  22  October  and  the  ,5  November.  The 
frost  is  so  extreme  .and  so  continuous  that  the  thickness  of  the  ice  covering 
the  .Vmur  is  from  P/4  to  2V4  arshins:  the  lakes  and  the  small  rivers  freeze 
to  the  bottom.  The  greatest  cold  experienced  in  the  environ.^  of  Bliigove- 
shchensk  is— .S2'  R.  and  at  the  mines  of  the  Niman  Company— 40"  R.  The 
very  low  mean  annual  temperature,  the  snowless  winter  and  the  swampy 
and  uneven  soil  covered  with  a  thick  vegetation,  not  being  sufficiently  warm- 
ed through  during  the  summer,  account  for  the  formation  and  the  preserv- 
ation nf  a  perpetually  frozen  stratum.  Their  extent  remains  as  yet  unknown. 
it  is  certain  that  thick  layers  of  pure  ice  occur  at  the  Ninuin  mines  and  in 
some  other  northern  districts. 

The  vegetation  of  the  Amur  territory  has  been  explored  by  nmny  natur- 
alists, among  them  may  be  mentioned  such  eminent  men  as  iMiddendorf, 
Maksimovich,  Maak,  Radde,  Schmidt  and  Korzinski.  In  spite  of  the  severe 
climate,  which  greatly  affects  the  develoitment  of  the  vegetation,  the  flora 
of  the  Amur  territory  and  of  the  entire  Amur  region  is  characterised  by  a 
great  variety  of  forms  and  by  the  luxuriance  of  some  particular  species. 
Along  the  course  of  the  Amin-,  we  see  peculiar  and  new'  plants  which,  being 
unusual  in  the  interior  of  continental  Asia,  testify  to  the  proximity  of  the 
Ocean  and  form  a  transition  to  the  vegetation  of  North  America.  In  the  north- 
ern parts  of  the  territory,  adjoining  the  Stanovoi  ridge,  fir-trees  predomin- 
ate, represented  among  others  by  larch  (Larix  dahurica),  spruce  (Picea  obo- 
vata),  (Picea  ajonensis),  Siberian  fir  (Abies  sibirica),  pine  (Pinus  silvestris) 
and  „cedar"  trees  growing  on  the  tops  of  the  mountains.  Approaching  the  Amur 
basin,  the  fir  forests  gradually  lose  their  gloomy  character,  being  enlivened 
by  an  admixture  of  foliage  trees. 

The  vegetation  of  the  Amiir  basin  may  be  divided  into  four  natural  re 
gions:  from  the  Ust-Strelochny  military  post  to  Albazin,  from  Albazin  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Zeya,  from  the  Zeya  to  the  Bureya  mountains  and  from  these 
mountains  to  the  Ussi'iri. 

1)  From  the  Ust-Strelochny  military  post  to  .Mbazin,  the  forests  consist 
mostly  of  larch  and  common  birch  mingled  with  solitary  pine,  aspen  and 
alder.  Spruce  and  fir  occur  very  rarely.  Throughout  this  locality  the  trees 
are  small,  not  exceeding  a  foot  in  thickness,  the  wood  is  not  dense  and  has 
no  undergrowth.  Among  the  shrubs  are:  tne  alpine  rose  (Rosa  cinnamoiuea 
and  R.  acicularis).  the  sjiiraea  and  the  cornel  iCornus  alba).  Rhododendron 
dahuricum.  grnwing  upon  clifls  and  damp  slopes.  This  region  contains  but 
few  meadows  which,  with  the  exception  of  those  occupying  low  islands,  are 
covered  with  scanty  grass.  Their  situation  amidst  clifTs  and  the  abundance 
of  bitter  and  aromatic  plants  recalls  the  neighbouring  steppes  of  Dauria.   In 


TIIK  AMl'R  TERRITORY.  3X9 

low-Iyin.a:  places,  tho  meadows  assiinio  a  richer  colour,  beins  covered  with 
lhii-l<erand  liij^iier  urass,  wJiich  however  consists  of  a  less  variety  of  species. 

2)  Beyond  Albazin,  the  country  becomes  more  level,  fir  forests  occur  at 
fireater  intervals,  beinu;  replaced  by  foliage  trees  which,  at  the  liorder.  i-eceivo 
an  admixture  of  asii  (Fraxinus  luandsiuirica)  and  oak  (Oucrciis  nionudlical 
.tcrowinLT  on  dry  hillocks.  It  is  only  beyond  the  Kumar.i  that  the  veiii-iation 
becomes  ditliMcni:  here  tiie  woods,  clustering  amidst  mountains,  give  slndler 
to  linden  and  to  solitary  elm  and  a.sh  trees.  The  meadows  characterising 
this  locality  retain  the  typical  lonns  of  the  Daurian  flora. 

:!>  WU'v  the  junction  with  the  Zi-ya,  the  vegetation  considerably  changes. 
.Steppe-like  meadows,  which  at  a  few  |ioints  are  covei-ed  with  I'orest-s  where 
oak  and  black  birch  iiredominate.  extend  from  the  mouth  of  the  Zi'-ya  to  the 
Bureya  ridge.  Drier  and  steppe-like  localities  are  charactericed  by  an  abund- 
ance of  leguminous  and  umbelliferous  plants  and  by  lilies  and  orchitis  ol 
a  great  variety  of  colours.  The  level  and  damp  jilaces  are  covered  with  var- 
ious gras.ses  and  meadow  plants  with  peculiarly  luxuriant  leaves.  I'nder 
this  covor  of  thick  grass,  the  aldine  rose  (Rosa  cinnaniomea)  pi'esentinir  a 
little  twiggy  bush,  finds  shelter  and.  together  with  vriidies  and  oiIht 
climbing  plants,  hinders  the  advance. 

Beyond  the  nionth  n[  the  Bureya,  recommences  a  stretch  nf  Innst  civnipos- 
ed  of  lofty  oaks  and  black  birches;  at  more  elevated  jioints,  they  receive  an 
admixture  of  common  birch  and  Salix  caprea.  The  valleys  contain  as|)en, 
birch,  elm,  alder,  cork-tree  (Phellodendron).  poplar  (l'o|)nUis  suaveolens, 
dogl)erry  (Brunus  padus>  and  dwarf  maple  ,(.\cer  ginnala).  Nearer  to  the 
Little  Khingiin,  the  southern  tree-species  occur  more  and  more  frei|uently. 
Near  the  water,  the  vegetation  becomes  so  thick  as  to  be  almost  impen- 
etrable, the  bushes  being  enveloped  by  climbing  plants  such  as  .Maximovic/.ia 
amurensis  and  wild  vine,  which  freijuently  rises  to  a  height  of  15  feet  and 
in  autumn  is  adorned  with  clusters  of  dark  blue  berries,  .\mong  tin;  trees 
and  bushes  the  most  characteristic  in  this  locality  are:  the  dwarf  maple  (Acer 
ginnala).  about  1()  feet  high  and  the  Panax  sessiliflorum,  remarkable  on  ac- 
count of  its  leaves  resembling  five  fingers,  and  also  of  its  black  fruit  attached 
close  to  the  stem.  Retiring  from  the  banks  of  thi»  .\iniir  into  the  interior  of 
the  territory,  the  vegetation  becomes  still  more  luxuriant;  here  the  Daurian 
birch  and  the  Mongolian  oak.  with  their  wide  spreading  branches,  attain  a 
height  of  tiO  to  70  feet. 

4)  From  the  Little  Khingan  down  the  Aniiir  to  the  junctinn  wliji  tlie 
I'ssuri.  the  steppe-like  meadows  are  dotted  with  solitary  and  lofty  trees.  .\t 
some  points,  the  hills  on  the  right  bank  are  embellished  by  line  foliage 
woods  consisting  of  oak  and  black  birch  mingled  with  elm.  linden,  maple 
and  cork-tree.  In  the  halfdarkness  prevailing  under  the  trees,  which  sonu'- 
times  stand  a  sazhen  ai)art,  the  ground  is  covered  by  Sespedeza  bi(-olor.  full 
of  red  bloss(mis.  .\mong  these  llowering  bushes,  stand  out  the  blue  flowei-s 
of  the  \'icia  pseudoi-obus.  and  Metalepsis  Stauntoni,  and  the  white  blossoms 
of  the  Beotia  discolor  and  Sanguisorba  tenuifolia. 

According  to  an  ai)proximate  estimate,  forests  occupy  about  two-thirds 
of  the.  total  area  of  the  Amur  territory,  but  the  greater  portion  of  this  immense 
surface  is  totally  inaccessible  to  exploitation.  As  regards  trade,  special  im- 
portance is  now  attached  to  the  fir  groves,  stretching  along  the  middle  waters 
of  the  Zeya  and  westwards  along  the  upper  course  of  the  Amur  to  the  sta- 
tion of  Pokrovskaya,  as  well  as  to  larch  and  .cedar"  occurring  on  the  Little 


390  GUIDK  TO  THK  (iRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

Khin.ican.  Aninnu-  Ihc  tViliiitrc  trcos.   (inl.\'  nak   ami    lilack    liiri'li    air    availalilc 
as  liiubiT. 

Injurious  insects  are  almost  iiiikiidwii  In  tlir  Aiiiiii-  lrrrH(ir\-:  the  liuvsis 
are  however  ctnisidei'abl.N  (laiiiajicil  li>  ihc  strnni;'  winds  prevailliii;'  iliirini;' 
the  suiiimer  iiionsuon,  and  by  fires  lit  li,\    iiussians  and   natives. 

The  luxuriant  lierhaeeniis  veiiclation,  ahoundinn-  in  uintley-cnldured 
tlowei's,  is  considefed  liy  tlie  inhabitants  Ihenisches  to  br  a  liad  bidder  bn' 
domestic  animals. 

The  I'auna  of  the  Amur  I'eaiDn  is  Jn^t  a^  iiecullai'  as  its  llora,  beini; 
chai'acterised  by  the  mixture  of  northern  animals  with  representatives  from  the 
south,  and  of  the  western  with  the  eastern  species,  but  till  now  it  is  very 
insuH'iciently  explored.  Best  known  are  the  warm-blooded  vertebrates.  There 
are  53  kinds  of  mammals  in  the  Ami'ir  territory,  represented  by  20  carnivora, 
4  insectivora,  4  cheiroptera,  18  rodents  ((Tlires).  I  pachyderm  and  (i  rumi- 
nants. 

The  following'  animals  are  inipdrtaut  in  Industry;  the  bear  (Ursus  arctos, 
U.  tibetanus),  sable  tMustela  zibellina),  ..kidiuiok"  (.Mustela  sibirica).  otter 
(Lutra  vulgaris),  lynx  (Pells  lynx),  fox  (Canis  viilpes),  sijuirrel  (Sciurus  vulg- 
aris), the  reindeer  and  stag  (Cervus  tiirandus,  ('.  elaphus),  muskdeer  (Mos- 
chus  moschiferus),  rock  deer  (Cervus  capreolus),  elk  (Cervus  alces),  and  in  a 
lesser  degree,  the  glutton  (fiulo  borealis).  tiger  (Felis  tigris),  jianther  (Fells 
irbis),  wolf  (Canis  lupus)  and  wild  l)oar  (Sus  scrota). 

The  tiger  is  met  with  only  in  the  south-eastern  jiart  of  this  region,  from 
the  Bureya.  The  natives  are  so  much  in  awe  of  the  tiger  that  they  will  not 
hunt  him.  The  size  of  a  big  tiger  is  about  3V2  arshins;  they  have  a  thicker 
and  longer  fell  than  the  southern  representatives. 

The  bird  fauna  is  also  very  various  although  little  explored.  L'p  to  the 
present  time.  244  species  have  been  ascertainecl.  distributed  as  follows:  Ra- 
paces  31,  Passeres  8,  Scansores  10,  Cokimbinae  4,  Gallinacei  8,  Grajlatores  42. 
Natatores  34.  The  birds  are  particularly  varied  andabundant  where  the  Amiir, 
making  its  last  bend  to  the  south,  breaks  through  the  chain  of  the  Little 
Khlng;in  and  joins  the  immense  basins  of  the  Sungari  and  L'ssiiri. 

Special  attention  is  due  to  the  ichthyological  fauna  of  the  Amur  basin, 
on  account  of  its  peculiar  character  and  the  commercial  importance  it  is  sure 
to  aci|uire  by  its  extraordinary  abundance.  This  basin  numbers  a  total  of 
63  species,  of  which  31  are  local.  The  characteristic  feature  of  this  fauna  is 
the  great  number  of  car])  (Cyprinidae)  and  salmonoid  species  (Salmnnnidci). 
The  great  wealth  of  the  .Vmiir  basin  is  constituted  by  fish  of  passagi\  which 
appear  dui'Ing  the  spawning  season.  The  „gorbiislia"  (Salmo  protous)  some- 
times appears  in  such  large  shoals  that  about  3,000  of  them  are  taken  in  one 
net.  In  Xikolaevsk  at)out  193,000  puds  of  Keta  (Salmo  lagocephalus)  are  salted 
to  supply  the  local  demand,  the  fish  industry  not  having  yet  spread  beyond 
the  confines  of  this  region;  about  4.000,000  of  the  same  species  are  tlried.  and 
54f),(X)0  of  them  are  prepared  as  food  for  dogs.  Besides  the  keta,  about  tioo.ooo 
gorbushas,  10.000  kah'iga  (Huso  orientalis)  and  sturgeon  are  preserved  annu- 
ally. The  following  species  may  be  of  industrial  importance:  lote  (Lota  vulga- 
ris), silurus  (Silurus  asotus),  tolpyga  (Hipophthalmychthys  Oybowskij,  cer.-,imblx 
(.Macrones  fulvi-draco).  carp  ((^'yprinus  carpio),  ci'ucian  (Carassius  vulgaris), 
bream  (I'arabrnnils  bramula),  roach  iFseudaspius  leptoce|>halus),  rud(Fseudo- 
rasbora  jiarva),  tench  (Sarcochilichtys  lacustris),  gwinia<l  (Coregonus  chadary). 
khairtis  (Thymallus  (irubll),   salmon   grayling    (Salnio  cnregdnoldes).    talnien 


THK  AMUR  TERRITORY.  391 

Siilnio  tluviatili.st,  khiincha  (Salnu)  kHiL-iiniat'iiis).  sea  inmt  (Salnm  ci-llaris), 
iki'  iKsox  Rifhcniii)  and  others. 

\[  tho  end  of  tin-  .Will  century,  pearls  were  still  found  in  tin-  upjier 
vers  of  the  Amur  l)asin.  Keeently  some  have  ai;ain  been  I'ouml  in  ilic  I'iver 
-'■linulziia.  fallinjr  into  the  Zeya. 

Historical    review,    and  colonisation    of   the  .\niui-  reirion. 

The  territory  of  the  Amur  was  discovered  hy  the  Rus.sians  about  the 
middle  of  the  XVII  century.  In  1043.  the  Yakutsk  voyevoda  despatched  thi- 
ther the  elder  Vasili  Poyarkov  with  1.^)  Cossacks.  After  having  crossed  the 
Stanovoi  rid,i;e,  he  went  down  the  Zi-ya  and  its  tributaries  to  the  Amur  and. 
foUowin.i:  its  course  to  the  nioutii.  n'tunied  aci-oss  the  sea  and  by  tlio  Lena 
to  Yakutsk. 

This  expedition  left  no  traces  of  its  visit  on  the  .\mur.  The  honour  of 
the  occu|.ation  of  the  Amur  in  the  XVII  century  is  due  to  YerolV-i  Khai>ar6v. 
who  with  his  party  reached  the  Amur  in  lt)4i)— .50,  and  began  the  comiue.st 
of  this  ceuntry  by  destroying  the  small  Iiaurian  towns,  occurring  on  his  way 
below  Albazin.  The  vanquished  natives  applied  for  help  to  the  Chinese  of 
Manchuria,  and  since  that  time  began  the  constant  strugle  for  tho  possession 
of  the  Amur.  In  1089,  the  Nerchinsk  treaty  for  a  long  time  put  a  stop  to  the 
further  colonisation  of  the  Amur  region  by  the  Russians;  after  its  conclusion. 
all  the  lands  occupied  by  the  Russians  had  to  be  evacuated,  and  the  Amur 
during  about  two  centuries  was  lost  to  Russia;  the  river  Gorbitsa,  tributary 
of  the  Shilka  and  Argun,  constituted  the  frontier  of  Russia  and  China.  The 
discovery  of  the  .\mur  delta  by  the  Russian  transjiort  Baikal  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  .Xevelskiii  in  1849.  and  of  its  mouth  liy  a  slooi"  of  the  same 
trans])ort  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Ka/.ak('vich  imluced  the  Russian 
Government  to  explore  more  fully  the  moutii  of  the  .Vmiir,  the  Tatar  Strait 
and  the  Island  of  Sakhalin.  The  Amur  expedition  was  organised  in  18.51  and. 
in  August  of  the  same  year.  Xevelskoi  hoisted  the  Russian  military  flag  on 
the  banks  of  the  Amur,  and  founded  within  25  versts  of  its  mouth  the  milit- 
ary post  of  .Xikolaevsk.  The  order  to  navigate  the  Amur  was  given  by  the 
Emperor  in  1854  and  cari-ied  out  by  Count  Muraviov.  Governor-General  ol' 
Eastern  Siberia,  who  started  Russian  navigation  between  Ust-Strdki  and  tb.- 
mouth  of  the  Amur. 

The  Russian  colonisation  of  the  country  dates  from  this  time.  Finally. 
the  .Xitriin  lr(>aty  concluded  in  1857.  admitteil  the  Russian  su|)remacy  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  .\mur.  The  misunderstandings  caused  by  the  Chinese,  evoked 
the  treaty  of  Pekin  in  1857,  by  which  tlie  Chinese  Government  allotted  to 
Russia  the  exclusive  right  to  the  Amiii-  river  and  the  whole  of  the  L'ssiiri 
country. 

The  first  settlers  of  the  .\mur  territory  were  Cossacks.  From  18.50,  the 
left  bank  of  the  .\mur.  from  the  junction  of  the  Shilka  with  the  Argun  to  the 
Tun.giiska.  comprising  a  distance  of  1030  vei-sts.  was  settled  by  Cossacks 
from  the  Transbaikal  with  a  view  to  form  a  cordon,  for  guarding  the  frontier 
and  for  the  defence  of  the  country  from  hostile  invasions.  The  Cossack  settle- 
ments established  at  a  certain  distance  from  one  another  served  to  main- 
tain communications  along  this  line,  constituting  the  only  link  uniting  .Xiko- 
lAevsk  and  Vladivostok  with  Russia.  The  Amur  Cossacks  heroically  achieved 
their  task,  submitting  to  the  semi-compulsory  .settling  of  an  immense  area. 
I'uring  the  first  years  passed  in  the  new  C(tuntry,  they  endured  severe  trials. 
'11  an  utterly  unknown  land,  with  rivers  boi-dered  by  dense,  unintcrniptcd  forests 


^i 


392  ariDio  to  tuio  grkat  Siberian  railway. 

iind  inipenptrablo  tai.;;;!  hiiulcrin.i;'  all  advance.  Men  and  cattle  iiorishod  from 
all  kinds  of  disoasos,  and  thi'  mortality  was  extivnio  among  tlio  children.  All 
this  was  aggravated  li.\  dreadful  and  unexpected  overflowing  of  i-lvers, 
destroying  the  work  Imt  jii.st  cummenced.  and  by  clouds  of  nins(iuitoos  which 
particularly  woirii'd  ilic  raiilc.  II  iIh'  Amur  was  annexed  to  Russia  without 
bloodshed,  it  was  howevei',  at  the  cost  of  many  victims.  Their  uuuihcr  was 
so  great  tliat.  according  to  Kriukov  who  studied  the  colonisatiiui  of  the  Amur 
by  the  Cossacks,  it  was  equivalent  to  a  war.  liut  the  sacrifices  were  not  evid- 
ent and  were  neither  desci-ihrd  in  history  nor  suiiir  by  ])nets. 

The  Amur  Cossacks  wilh  their  sweat  and  hliiiiij  iiihmumI  the  way  fur 
subsequent  colonisatiiui,  the.v  [lerislied  with  resignafiDU  under  the  pressure 
of  all  kinds  of  misfortunes  and  bravely  bore  the  conseiiuences  of  the  first 
mistakes  and  reverses;  this  was  the  great  service  they  rendered    to   Russia. 

The  Transbaikal  Cossacks,  who  were  compelled  to  emigrate  by  the  tiov- 
ernment,  in  a  short  time,  from ,  1850  to  bStiO,  established  throughout  the 
.\mur  basin  al)ove  (iO  villnges  and  settlements  with    a    population    of  11,850. 

Voluntary  peasant  colonisation  soon  followed  that  of  the  Cossacks:  the 
first  party  of  emigrants  numbering  240  arrived  on  the  Amur  in  ISii!)  from 
the  Tauric  and  Samara  governments  and  ('(msisted  of  adherents  of  the  Mo- 
lokan  and  Jumper  sects. 

Prom  the  year  1861,  when  the  regulations  tor  settlement  in  tlu^  Amur 
and  Littoral  territories  were  made  known,  an  uninterrupted  stream  of  volunt- 
ary emigrants  took  its  course  towards  the  Par  East.  The  emigrants  went 
there  and  are  now  going  to  the  Amur  territory  of  their  own  accord,  without 
any  encoura.geme'nt  from  the  Government.  They  obtain  the  means  necessary 
for  the  .journey  by  realising  their  household  goods  and  selling  their  land. 
The  registration  of  the  emigrants  is  only  effected  when  they  arrive  at  the 
localities  allotted  to  them.  Whole  families  are  added  to  communes  already 
organised,  which  still  have  free  land  at  their  disposal;  they  are  then  admitted 
without  previous  agreement,  in  the  contrary  case,  the  new-comers  are  received 
only  upon  having  obtained  the  permission  of  the  commune.  Elmigrants  form- 
ing 15  or  more  families  from  the  same  locality,  and  wishing  to  establish 
a  new  settlement  organise  a  commune  which  receives  its  name  according 
to  the  desire  of  the  settlers  and  is  established  in  an  appropriate  locality. 
The  maximum  quantity  of  land  allotted  to  the  use  of  communes  and  se|iarat(> 
families  for  a  space  of  20  years  is  100  desiatins,  free  of  taxes  and  with  the 
right  of  redeeming  the  grants  and  buying  new  ones  at  the  rate  of  R  :]. 
After  a  period  of  20  years,  all  the  settlers  are  obliged  to  pay  a  land  tax,  and 
those  who  have  not  obtained  full  proprietorship  are  subjected  to  an  addi- 
tional rent.  After  a  three  years'  use  of  the  land,  all  the  settlers  an'  freed 
fnun  duty  in  money  and  kind. 

The  populatiiui  of  the  Amur  territory,  gradually  increaseil  liy  colonisation 
and  natural  growth,  according  to  the  census  of  1897  amounted  to  a  total  of 
118,570  (06,595  males,  51,975  females),  in  the  proportion  o:d  to  the  square  verst. 
It  is  concentrated  mainly  throughout  the  Amur  basin  and  partly  on  the  lower 
reaches  of  the  rivers  Zeya,  Bureya,  Tom,  Tima  and  Belaya,  whereas  the  inter- 
ior of  the  territory  still  remains  unoccujiied. 

The  whole  of  the  population  may  be  divided  into  the  following  groups; 
Cossacks,  23,0(30,  peasants,  35,000,  town  inhabitants  (Hlagov('shcheusk)  31,5 1. '); 
workmen  employed  in  the  mines,  from  7,000  to  9,(KK):  nonuid  natives,  t;,oi)  i, 
Manchu-riiinr-se.  14.oi)0.  Koreans.  1.000. 


THK  AMIR  TKRRITORY.  ;593 

Tho  Aiiu'ir  Cossack  troops  are  under  the  coinmand  of  tlie  Nakaznui  Aiii- 
in;in,  witli  riiihts  eiiual  to  those  of  the  commander  of  a  division,  and  are 
compiiseil  (if  a  Cossac-k  res^iment  which,  in  time  of  peace,  consists  of  three 
siitnias.  and  in  war,  of  (>  sotnias.  and  of  a  ("ossask  divisiun  of  .'{iX)  men.  Tiie 
iiMTitiiry  occupied  liy  the  Cossack  troops  forms  a  district  divided  into  :!  sec- 
tions: ihi>  police  and  administration  are  under  control  nf  the  commander  (jI' 
ihe  reiiiment,  endowed  witli  tlie  title  of  chief  ot  the  Amin-  Cossack  troops 
district,  and  of  three  section  manairers.  who  are  .selected  from  amoii;;-  the 
active  officers  id'  the  same  reu;iment.  The  wlnde  of  the  Cossack  male  popu- 
lation. Iietween  the  aires  of  17  and  ."iii,  is  lialde  to  military  service. 

The  chief  occupations  of  the  Cos.sack  pojiulation.  formin.ir  the  sources  of 
it.s  material' prosperity,  are  agriculture,  fishing,  trappinir.  mana.iiement  of  post 
stations  and  forestry.  The  whole  of  the  Cossack  population  belonii  to  the 
Orthodox  faith  with  the  exception  of  ,')  Catliolics,  (5  Jews  and  about  IS  adher- 
ents of  the  Did  Belief.  Reading  and  writing  are  gradually  spreading  among 
the  Cossacks  with  the  help  of  schools  opened  in  the  villages. 

The  peasant  population  is  concentrated  in  H  volosts,  subjected  to  the  au- 
thority of  the  chief  of  the  district  and  to  three  pidice  officers. 

The  contingent  of  the  jieasant  population  of  the  ,\mur  territory  is  char- 
acterised by  a  great  numl)er  of  dissenters  (over  T.tXK))  represented  by  Mcdo- 
kans,  Hezpopovtsy.  only  admitting  priests  conso  crated  by  Austrian  .\rch- 
bishops.  and  the  Semeisky  sects,  \\ithin  recent  times,  tho  bcnelicont  in- 
tluence  of  tho  Emperor  Alexander  III  fund  and  the  donations  of  Father  Jolm 
Sc-rgeev  have  reached  the  distant  Amur  cou-ntry,  whose  population  particu- 
larly stands  in  need  of  spiritual  support.  The  lirst  church  built  at  the  cost 
of  tlie  fund,  in  honour  of  the  Orthodox  .Saint  Princess  Olga  was  consecrated 
on  the  20  September,  IStiS,  in  the  village  of  Croat  Sazonka,  situated  on  the 
Zeya,  within  160  versts  of  Blagoveshchensk,  having  been  erected  during  the 
years  188.3— 18tK)  by  the  exertions  of  emigrants  from  the  government  id'  Pol- 
tava and  from  the  lands  of  the  Don  Cossacks. 

The  population  (d'  the  mines  is  distril>uted  in  three  mining-districts:  the 
L'ppcr  Amur.  Bureya,  Khingan,  of  which  two  ai-e  under  the  authority  of  a 
police  officer  attached  to  the  mines,  whereas  the  last  is  subject  to  the  di- 
rector of  the  3-d  division  of  the  Amiir  Cossack  troops  district.  The  nomarl 
l)oiuilation  consists  of  Tungiis,  Orochen,  Manegr,  Birar  and  Cold  tribes. 

The  Tungiis  are  exclusively  engaged  in  hunting',  and  roam  at  large  in 
the  desert  taiga:  iis  regards  ethnographical  c<inditions,  they  do  not  difler  at 
all  from  their  East  Siberian  brethren.  They  all  belong  to  the  Orthodox  faith 
and.  although  fairly  ignorant  of  religious  rites,  the  spirit  of  the  ("hristian 
faith  being  in  accordance  with  their  natural  disposition  soon  became  fand- 
liar  to  them:  such  at  any  rate  is  the  statement  of  those  who  have  studied 
the  character  of  this  nation. 

The  Orochens  form  a  branch  of  the  wandering  Tungus,  dwelling  on  the 
upper  waters  of  the  Amur:  they  received  their  name  from  the  Tungus  „oro" 
which  means  .deer",  and  differ  from  their  brethern  mainly  by  their  slim  build. 
They  have  a  tawny  complexion,  a  flat  lace  with  prominent  cheek  bones,  a 
protruding  and  wedgeshaped  chin,  and  black,  thick,  coarse  hair:  their  eyes 
are  small  and  raised  at  the  outer  corners,  their  lips  thick.  The  men  gener- 
ally have  no  beard  or  a  very  thin  one.  They  have  comjiaratively  large 
heads  and  long  arms.  The  smallness  of  their  extremities  is  particularly  strik- 
ing.   Their  main  occupation  is  trapping  and  breeding  reindeer;   they  profess 


.'^94  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

Ilii'  (irllindox  failh  Iml  Mlieii,  when  niaininu-  in  the  \;\\ixi\.  \nn-\nnu  ilieir  own 
shiiiiianistic  riles. 

'I'lic  Main'-iiT.s  (.\laiirliui' „nvaiiki".  Chiiir.sc  (icoiiTaplis'  „H-Luii-(  Miun")  call- 
ing themselves  Maiiialvh.vr,  heloiig  to  the  Tuiiici'is  stock,  ami  inhahit  the 
right  bank  of  the  Zeya,  along  the  Amur  Ironi  the  settlement  ni  Permykimi 
to  the  river  Kumara,  wandering  sometimes  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Anuir 
to  the  town  of  Blagoveshchensk.  Their  language  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Oro- 
chens,  including  nian.v  Manchur  words.  In  their  outward  appearance,  they 
present  two  ditlerent  types:  the  one  characterised  by  a  broad  jiurely  .Mongol- 
ian face,  with  a  small  nose  and  prominent  clu.'ek  bones;  the  other  by  an 
oval  face  and  fine  features,  well  iiroportioned  cheek  bones,  a  long  straight 
and  slightly  hooked  nose.  They  are  generally  of  a  hardy  complexion  and  a 
tall  stature.  The  men  usually  shave  their  heads,  with  the  excejjtion  of  a  long 
pig-tail:  the  women  wear  two  tresses.  They  are  all  nomads,  dwelling  in  sum- 
mer on  river  banks,  and  retiring  for  the  winter  to  the  forests  and  mountains. 
Theii'  dwellings  are  represented  by  hive-shaped  yurtas,  made  of  stakes  co- 
viTed  with  birch-bark  and  elk  skins.  The  Manegr.s  are  all  Shama.nists. 

The  Birars,  belonging  to  the  Tungus  race,  wander  along  the  Bureya  and 
the  Amiir  near  the  village  of  Radde.  With  respect  to  shape  of  figur(>  and 
face,  to  customs  and  dress,  they  possess  some  likeness  to  the  Manchuriaiis, 
but  their  language  has  more  resemblance  to  that  of  the  Manegrs,  containing 
many  Manchurian  and  Gliinese  words.  Some  of  them  occupy  themselves  with 
agriculture,  using  their  hive-shaped  reed  yurtas  as  permanent  dwellings, 
foi'iiiing  a  settlement  surrounded  with  lU'chards.  They  are  Shamanists. 

The  Golds  are  a  branch  of  the  Tungiis  stock.  They  are  now  split  into 
three  tribes:  the  Kilens,  dwelling  on  the  Sungari  and  the  Amur,  above  Kha- 
barovsk, the  Khodz.  found  on  the  Amur,  below  Khabarovsk,  and  the  ilangiis 
living  on  the  Ussuri.  There  is  but  a  slight  difference  between  these  three 
tribes  as  regards  customs  and  dress,  but  a  very  marked  one  in  language. 
With  respect  to  their  mode  of  life,  the  Golds  may  be  reckoned  among  the 
settled  population;  they  generally  live  in  buildings  made  of  beaten  clay,  re- 
calling in  miniature  a  Chinese  hut.  They  are  below  the  average  stature,  and 
have  a  broad  and  flat  face  with  a  snub  nose,  thick  lips,  eyes  shaped  after  the 
Mongolian  fashion  and  prominent  cheek-bones;  the  hair  of  the  head  is  coarse 
and  black,  on  the  face  sometimes  bi'own,  but  very  thin.  They  are  all  bony 
and  muscular.  Wi'ist  and  ankles  are  small.  The  men  wear  a  pig-tail,  the 
women  two  i)laits  and  the  girls  often  let  their  hair  hang  about  the  shoulders. 
Both  men  and  women  wear  silver  and  bone  rings  on  the  fingers,  and 
silver  and  iron  bracelets.  Resides  this,  the  women  adorn  themselves  witli 
earrings  with  ()endants.  Some  of  them,  as  a  mai'k  of  i)articular  elegance,  in- 
troduce one  or  several  small  rings  into  the  partition  of  the  nose.  The  i)eople 
of  this  tribe  are  characteris(Hi  by  great  honesty,  frankness  and  good  will. 
Their  religion  is  Shamanism.  Their  costume  is  very  various  and  of  all  co- 
lours; they  may  at  different  times  be  s(>en  wearing  a  Russian  overcoat,  a  fish- 
skin  suit  or  the  Chinese  dress. 

Tlie  total  number  of  natives  belonging  to  the  Tungus  stock  at  present 
amt)unls  to  from  5,ik.kj  lo  0,(,K)O. 

Settled  natives.  The  Chinese  and  the  l)aurs,  now  quite  assimilated  to 
them,  form  the  autochthonous  population  of  the  territory.  According  to  the 
Aigiiii  treaty,  the  population  on  the  left  l>ank  of  the  .\)iiur  consisting  olChi- 
nese  subjects  was  to  remain    in  its  foi'iiiei'   dwelling-place,  wliii-h    had    been 


TIIK    WII'R  TKRRITORY.  3fl5 

.inncxod  to  the  Russian  ti'mlurv,  rotainiriir  the  ri.iilit  to  the  use  of  the  lauii 
which  prior  to  the  eonclusion  of  the  treaty  belon.u;ed  to  them. 

The  .\ranchu-Daiiriaii  and  Chinese  population  occupies  an  area  wiiich. 
ajiini,'  the  Amiir,  stretches  east  of  Bhiiroveshrhensk  for  a  distance  of  (iC.  vers  Is 
,inil.  setth'd  on  scattered  jdots  of  hind,  extends  for  20  versts  into  the  interior 
.>f  the  country,  i.cadinir  a  settled  life  devoted  to  airriculturc  the  entire  popu- 
lation nuniherini:  U.iXH)  lives  in  (i.i  villaires  composed  of  Chinese  huts.  Ac- 
■•ordins  to  an  ancient  custom,  the  settlements  and  even  each  separate  dwell- 
inir  are  surrounded  with  ?rroves  of  jioplar.  elm  and  willow,  which  irivc  thoiii 
a  pleasant  appearance. 

The  Koreans,  whose  niimher  is  ahout  l.O(X),  live  in  the  settlement  nS 
Hla.iroslovennoe.  situated  at  tiie  Junction  of  the  Samara  with  the  Amur.  Hav- 
in.K  retained  the  laniruage.  the  customs,  the  modes  of  cultivation  and  all 
the  peculiarities  of  their  former  life  in  their  native  land,  this  pojiulation 
assumed  the  Orthodox  faith  upon  havinjr  .settled  on  theAnu'ir  within  the 
confines  of  Russian  territory  in  1872. 

Land  tenure  and  exploitation.  The  law  of  the  25  March,  18til,  which  au- 
thoi-ised  iirivate  land  tenure  in  the  Amiir  region,  on  lots  of  Crown  lands  rc- 
maininjr  free,  was  somewhat  restricted  by  the  re.sulations  of  1892  and  ISD.t 
and  although  in  force  for  .30  years,  never  found  an  extensive  application. 
Private  land  tenin-e  in  this  distant  country  is  ((iiite  excei>tional.  The  total 
area  of  private  lands  comprised  only  40,868  desiatins  in  18'.J,'>.  when  the  allot- 
ment of  Crown  lands  to  private  individuals  was  forbidden  within  a  range 
loo  versts  wide  on  either  side  of  the  Ussiiri  railway  and  along  tiie  projected 
.\miir  line. 

The  conditions  of  the  land  tenure  of  the  Cossack  iio|)ulation,  consisting 
of  22.0<Ki  distriituted  in  tiT  villages  and  settlements,  occupying  immense  areas 
alonu-  the  Amiir,  are  still  unknown  on  account  id'  the  peculiar  conditions  of 
the  .\mur  country. 

In  1869,  it  was  decided  to  grant  land  to  all  the  .Vniur  Cossacks,  to  be 
used  in  common  in  the  proportion  of  .'io  desiatins  to  every  man.  The  bound- 
aries were  not  yet  entirely  fixed,  when  in  1877  the  greater  portion  of  the 
fields  under  cultivation  stretching  along  the  Amur  were  overflowed  and 
covered  with  sand  and  pebbles  and  the  lands  which  had  already  been  allotted 
to  the  Cossacks  were  declared  unfit  for  cultivation.  The  project  of  Baron 
Fredricks.  former  Governor-General  of  Eastern  Siberia,  grantin.ir  to  the  use 
of  each  village,  irrespectiv(>  of  the  number  of  houses,  all  the  lands  stretching 
for  a  distance  of  S  versts  into  the  interior  of  the  eoimtry  from  the  Aim'ii'. 
comprising  about  12,800  desiatins,  did  not  meet  the  roiiuirements  of  the  po- 
pulation on  account  of  local  physical  conditions.  This  system  applied  to 
whole  villasres  was  unjust  to  those  containing  a  great  numiier  of  houses  and 
did  not  satisfy  the  Cossacks  who  still  claimed  additional  grants.  The 
administration  of  the  Cossack  troojts  aimed  at  aciiuiring  a  territorial  right  over 
the  lands,  as  given  to  other  Cossack  troops  in  European  Russia  and  Siberia: 
thus,  the  Cossack  troops  fund  made  the  acquisition  of  numerous  lots  of  land 
which  should  in  the  future  serve  as  a  source  of  revenue. 

Baron  KortT,  the  Governor-General  of  the  Amur  region,  assigned  to  the 
troops  a  territory  extendintr  25  versts  into  the  interior  of  the  land,  fi'om  thi' 
Amur  throughout  the  coursi'  of  this  river  from  Pokriivskoe  to  Khabariusk. 
constituting  alxiut  5o,tKKi  scpiai'e  versts  or  approximatel.v  5.(hk).(HM(  desiatins. 
This  regulation  of  Baron  KortT.  to  the  present  time,  is  not  sain-tioinMl  bylaw 


:yj(t  Gl'lDE  TO    THK  UliEAT  SIHKKIAN   UAILWAY. 

and  thi^  ('(issacks  nl'  the  Amur  rciiimi  slill  iln  nut  possess  a  li'rritm'y  nl'  their 
own.  the  land  bein.LC  only  alluUed  lu  tlieni  lor  leiuporary  use. 

Th(>  insufficient  (|uantity  of  land  fit  for  colonisation  on  the  Auiiir,  and 
the  establishment  of  settlements  re(iuirinj;' a  cei-tain  area  availal)le  lor  cultiv- 
ation is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  more  completely  exi)lored  regions 
betweeh  Pokrovskoe  and  Blagoveshchensk,  with  a  breadth  of  lo  to  25  and 
even  4.5  versts.  does  not  contain,  besides  the  lands  already  allotted  to  the 
peasants  aud  Cossack.s,  enough  for  a  settlement,  but  only  a  few  lots  suffic- 
ient for  the  establishment  of  farms  with  a  grant  of  a  to  5  desiatins  to  every 
man.  The  whole  of  the  remaining  area  is  covered  with  wood  or  bush  grow- 
inir  on  swamps. 

As  regards  the  question  of  the  subsequent  colonisation  of  thc.Vmiir  terr 
itory  and  the  development  of  agriculture  closely  connected  with  the  emi- 
gration movement,  being  without  any  precise  information,  we  can  only  state 
the  following  approximate  results.  The  authors  of  the  well  known  work  , Des- 
cription of  the  Amur  territory",  P.  P.  Semionov  and  Grum-Grzhimailo,  consi- 
dering that  only  one-third  of  the  territorial  area  is  as  regards  the  climate 
fit  for  agriculture,  state  that  the  government  has  at  its  disposal  12,00(t,000 
desiatins  which  can  be  colonised:  if.  however,  one  takes  into  consideration 
that,  in  order  to  secure  the  future  jirosperity  of  the  country,  at  least  the  half 
of  the  wooded  area  must  be  preserved  by  a  forestry  law,  only  6,000,000  de- 
siatins are  left  for  colonisation.  If  the  grants  are  made  in  the  same  propor- 
tions (36  desiatins  to  every  manl  the  Amur  territory  might  still  afford  shel- 
ter to  .300,000  settlers,  but  if  the  latter  be  added  to  the  existing  population 
with  a  grant  of  18  desiatins,  their  number  could  be  raised  to  600,<X)(). 

The  investigations  made  for  agricultural  purposes  along  the  projected 
railway  lines  across  the  Amur  territory,  in  directions  most  in  accordance 
with  economic  considerations,  shewed  only  a  total  of  a  million  desiatins 
suitable  for  colonisation.  The  above  mentioned  results  are  very  uncertain,  as 
only  detailed  surveys  and  agronomic  investigations  can  afford  more  precise  data. 

The  chief  industry  of  the  population  and  source  of  its  welfare  is  agri- 
culture. Generally,  the  cultivated  lands  belong  to  the  commune:  the  roads 
destined  for  the  passage  of  cattle  are  common  property,  the  arable  land  is 
allotted  in  such  proportions  as  can  be  cultivated  by  every  man,  the  strips 
of  meadows  are  divided  every  year  bet\veen  the  owners;  the  lots  occupied 
by  the  houses  and  household  buildings  pass  strictly  to  the  descendants.  Of 
the  vast  area  belon.ging  to  the  communes,  only  60,000  desiatins  are  under 
cultivation,  on  which  above  500,000  puds  of  various  grain  are  sown  annually. 

The  whole  of  the  Russian  population  has  adopted  a  most  wasteful  sy- 
stem of  husbandry,  by  which  a  certain  lot  of  land  is  sown  every  year,  witii- 
out  interruption  and  without  any  manure,  until  it  becomes  entirely  exhaust- 
ed. From  (J  to  8  crops  are  raised  from  the  fields,  and  then  fresh  land  is 
sown.  The  exhausted  land  is  abandoned  for  about  10  years,  after  which  space 
of  time  it  yields  agiiin  several  crops.  The  fields  which  have  already  been 
once  cultivated  are  not  willingly  worked  again;  the  i)easants  generall.\  look 
out  for  fresh  expanses,  thus  enlarging  the  cultivated  area.  This  fact  has 
increased  the  denuind  for  agricultural  implements  and  machinery,  mainly 
mowing  machines,  which  does  not  prove  that  husbandry  has  become  subject- 
ed to  a  moi-e  rational  organisation  or  progressed  in  any  way.  The  owners 
of  now  implements  and  machines,  represented  nminl.v  li.\  Molokiins.  Imkho- 
bfirtsy  and  other  sectarians,  neither  improve  nor  change  tlicir  mode    of   cul- 


Till-:  AMl'K  TlCUHlTiiRY.  ;51)7 

tivjitioii.  wliicli  (liii's  nut  ililVci-  IVoin  that  of  those  who  arc  only  su|i|ilii'il  with 
priiiiilivf  iiiiiikMiii'iits.  All  this  new  inachinLM'x  only  serves  to  exteml  the  waste- 
ful exploitation  of  the  land.  No  winter  corn  is  sown  thi-oiiirlioiil  the  terri- 
tory. The  emigrants  have  often  attempted  to  sow^  winter  rye.  hut  have  not 
met  with  any  suceess.  The  principal  reason  of  it  is  to  he  fount!  in  the  utterly 
snowless  winters  and  the  extreme  cold.  In  the  localities  more  protected  hy 
snow,  winter  rye  cannot  ripen  and  he  rai.scd  on  account  of  the  heavy  July  rain.s. 

Thf  kinds  of  'j:v;un  mainly  sown  are:  sprinir  wheat,  spriiii::  rye  (y:iritsa). 
oats  and  huckwheat.  The  \  ield  of  other  kinds  forms  aliout  In  per  cent  of  the 
total,  consistin.u  of  harlex',  hemp.  tlax.  maize  and  millet. 

The  irrain  of  the  .Vnuir  yaritsa  is  finer  and  li.irhter  tlian  that  of  winter 
rye.  the  husk  is  thicker.  The  emigrants  affirm  that  tiie  hread  made  of  local 
\aritsa  is  far  less  nutritious  than  Russian  rye-bread.  There  are  two  kinds  of 
wheat:  red  wheat,  imported  from  Russia,  and  white  wheat,  from  Manchuria: 
the  latter  is  better  ada|ited  to  the  conditions  of  the  climate,  but  falls  out 
more  easily  if  not  cut  in  time.  The  oats  were  imported  from  different  places: 
from  Central  Russia,  the  Transbaikal,  and  Manchuria.  The  emigrants  also 
pretend  that  the  oats  are  not  as  nutritious  as  in  Russia.  The  millet  sown 
here  is  of  two  kinds:  the  fine  and  grey  so-called  „buda"  (Setaria  italica)  grow- 
ing in  spikes,  and  „yar-bud,i"  having  larger  seeds  forming  a  brush,  which  is 
tile  real  millet.  This  kind  of  grain  is  particularly  abundant  in  the  fields  lying 
between  the  Zeya  and  Hureya.  In  spite  of  the  immense  quantity  of  land,  there 
is  no  regular  system  in  the  succession  of  crops.  The  work  in  the  fields  lasts 
from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  20  of  .September.  Sowing  begins  in  .\pril  and 
continues  to  the  iniildle  of  June.  The  first  grain  sown  is  yaritsa.  followed  by 
wheat,  barley,  oats,  flax,  millet  (in  the  beginning  of  June)  and  last  of  all 
buckwheat.  Injurious  insects  and  mildew  are  of  rare  occurrence.  Harvest  be- 
gins in  .\ugust  and  ends  in  September.  On  an  average,  the  crops  of  spring 
corn  are  4-7-fold. 

The  husbandry  of  Koreans  and  Manchurians  is  characterised  by  great 
intensiveness:  the  cultivated  area  is  not  extensive,  but  carefully  tilled.  The 
Koreans  use  special  Chinese  ploughs  draw'n  by  a  pair  of  oxen.  The  corn  is 
sown  in  rows,  and  the  fields  are  ploughed  several  times  during  the  summer. 
Besides  cereals,  they  cultivate  all  sorts  of  vegetables. 

The  Manchurians  have  the  same  systems  of  husbandry  as  tlie  Koreans; 
they  cultivate  the  so-called  i)uda  and  employ  a  considcralde  |)art  of  the  cul- 
tivated area  for  sowing  leguminous  plants  (Pluiscolus,  Joja  etc.)  .\mong  the 
plants  exclusively  cultivated  by  the  Manchurians  should  be  mentioned  the 
,sutsii"  (Sesamum  orientale),  whose  seeds  are  employed  for  the  produiiion 
of  vegetable  oil,  used  in  the  preparation  of  food.  The  Chinese  also  occupy 
theinselv(>s  with  the  cultivation  of  poppies  for  opium.  With  this  object.  the>' 
make  a  circular  cut  in  the  unripe  head  of  the  flower  and  gather  the  thick 
juice  coming  out  of  it.  Among  the  ve.getables  of  the  Amtir  territory,  the  first 
place  is  occupied  by  potatoes,  followed  by  cabbage,  cucumber,  onions  etc. 
Having  no  markets  for  the  sale  of  fruit,  the  cultivation  of  orchards  does  not 
constitute  a  special  feature  of  industry. 

Horticultiu'o  is  still  at  a  very  low  stage  of  dcvelopmi'iii.  Th(^  gradual 
widening  of  the  cultivated  area  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil  accounts  for  the 
sufficient  (luantity  of  grain  supplying  the  Aimir  territory,  and  for  the  possi- 
bility of  exporting  it.  If  at  present  the  local  commissariat  sometimes  pur- 
chases srain  on  the  Sungari  and  abroad,  this  is  to  he  exidained  l)y  the    low 


398 


GUIDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


l)rico  of  the  Main-hurian  oorn,  and  |iartl.\-  hy  thi' ciuKlitions  nl' ihc  market  and 
the  lack  of  ways  of  comniimii'ation  in  the  territory.  The  Transbailval  ii:rain 
competes  with  that  of  the  .Vnii'ir  only  in  the  mining  region.s  of  the  I'pper 
Amur,  whence  it  can  bo  transported  at  a  lower  rate  from  Sreteiisk,  down  the 
river,  than  from  Blagoveshchensk. 

Cattle-raising  does  not  present  a  special  feature  of  husbandry  for  want 
of  ii'ood  pasture  lands. 

The  horses  in  the  territory  belong  to  two  ditlerent  stocks:  the  Transbai- 
kal  and  Tomsk.  In  summer,  they  are  kept  in  droves,  and  in  winter,  they  are 
fed  with  hay  or  bran  wetted  in  salt  water.  The  chief  enemj-  of  cattle-raising 
is  the  Siberian  pla.gue  which  rages  there  almost  every  year.  The  cattle  is 
derived  from  a  mixture  of  the  Transbaikal  with  the  .Manchurian  stocks.  The 
local  cow  is  characterised  by  an  udder  covered  with  hair,  with  undeveloped 
nipi)les,  which  accounts  for  the  extraordinarily  small  quantity  of  milk.  The 
crossing  with  the  Manchurian  stock  had  a  bad  ettect.  caused  by  the  tact  that 
the  Manchurians  do  not  milk  their  cows.  During  five  months,  the  cattle  arc 
left  grazing  and  for  seven  they  are  fed  with  dry  fodder.  The  working  cattle 
was  brought  to  thi.s  territory  by  Little  Russians  after  the  year  187.5.  The  ])rin- 
cipal  impediment  in  the  way  of  cattle-breeding  is  the  Manchurian  plague 
which  .gives  rise  to  disastrous  e]iideniics  Thc^  cattle  is  also  attacked  by 
innumerable  clouds  of  mosquitoes. 

Camels  appeared  in  the  .\nuir  territory  (mly  recently:  they  belong  mainly 
to  the  Molok;ins,  who  purchase  them  in  the  Transbaikal. 

Sheep-breeding  is  not  extensively  developed  for  want  of  suitable  eleva- 
ted pasture  land;  the  sheep  come  from  the  Transbaikal  stock. 

The  breeding  of  .swine  is  very  considerable  throughout  the  territory:  al- 
most every  peasant  owns  from  one  to  three  head.  They  ar(>  of  a  snuill  kind 
with  inferior  meat. 

According  to  statistical  data,  of  late  years  the  livestock  throughout  the 
territory  amounted  to  i  15.000  head:  49,2(X)  horses,  4.5.000  cattle,  14.iX10  swine. 
6,000  sheep,  and  600  camels. 

.\mong  other  industries,  which  have  some  significance  in  the  einiioiiiic 
life  of  the  population,  may  be  mentioned  post-driving,  in  which  are  engaged 
the  ten  Amur  Cossack  districts.  Man.\  post-stations  are  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Cossacks,  yielding  a  profit  of  R.  i;^5,0(X)  to  160,fKW  annually. 

Carriage  of  goods  by  road.  This  industry  is  supported  by  the  gold 
minin.g  companies  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Aimir,  whence  goods  are  con- 
ve.ved  by  horses,  mainly  in  winter. 

Fishing  is  very  important  for  the  native  and  specially  for  the  Cossack 
population.  The  fish  is  mainly  taken  in  autumn,  when  the  ,,ket;r  migrates 
from  the  sea  towards  the  Xikolaevsk  liman.  On  the  Amiir.  these  fish  reach 
a  distance  of  about  200  versts  above  Blagoveshchensk,  when  they  are  tired 
out  and  assume  another  form  and  name:  they  get  teeth  like  the  pike  and 
are  hence  known  under  the  name  of  „zubatka". 

The  keta  is  salted  whole  in  tubs,  while  the  back  and  lielly  also  are  jire- 
pared  by  being  dried  and  smoked.  The  salt  is  obtained  from  the  Transbaikal. 
The  systems  adopted  for  the  storing  of  fish  are  mostly  very  primitive.  In 
spite  of  its  .great  abundance  in  the  Amur,  containing  mainly  keta  (in  taste 
recalling  the  salmon  of  the  White  Sea),  there  are  no  established  markets 
for  the  sale  of  this  rich  natural  product.  The  first  attempts  at  the  sale  of  keta 
were  made  onlv  in  1898  and  1899,  at  the  markets  of  Irkutsk  and  Tomsk. 


THE  AMUR  TERRITORY.  399 

At  -soiiio  rnssack  vilhiircs,  a  good  in-essfd  caviar  obtained  from  stui-Kuoii 
ind  whito  fish  is  oflerod  for  sale.  Tiie  smoked  Amur  gwiniad  is  not  inferior 
I  tfiiit  of  the  Xevii. 

The   profit    obtained    from   this  industry  is  as  yet  very  insignificant,  not 
\ceeding  some  ten  thousand  i-ubls. 

Hunting  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  natives  wandering  in  the  Amiir 
territory,  and  is  also  the  source  of  a  certain  protlt  to  tlie  Cossack  ])opulatl(m. 
The  season  for  hunting  is  restricted:  for  some  animals  it  is  forbidden  from 
the  15  March  to  the  1  May.  for  sable  —  to  the  15  October. 

The  animals  hunted  are:  sable,  siiuirrel,  fox.  elk,  roedeer,  roebuck  and 
musk  deer.  For  the  natives,  the  most  profitable  industry  is  that  of  the  sable, 
whereiis  the  Russians  obtain  more  profit  by  shooting  roebuck,  which  |)ass  in 
iniTiiense  herds.  In  these  localities,  the  tlesh  of  the  roebuck  is  stor(>d  lor 
winter  and  the  skin  used  for  the,  preparation  of  a  superior  shamoy  leatliei-. 
Fowling  is  only  practised  by  the  Russian  population. 

The  furs  are  sold  at  Blagoveshchensk.  Albazin  and  at  fairs  held  by  tlie 
natives.  The  total  value  of  the  furs  amounts  annually  to  from  R.  120,(K)0  to 
R.  loO.tXX*. 

Forestry  plays  an  important  part  in  the  economy  of  many  localities  in 
the  territory.  The  apjiroximate  supply  of  timber,  with  the  exception  of  the 
sections  which  in  summer  and  winter  remain- inaccessible,  according  to  the 
estimates  made  in  connexion  with  the  surveys  for  the  Amur  railway,  does 
not  exceed  5.(K)0,(X)ti  desiatins.  viz.  one-eightli  of  the  total  area  of  the  forests 
in  the  territory.  The  chief  rivers  used  for  floating  timber  are  the  Tungiiska. 
Khara,  Bureya,  Zeya.  Selimdzha,  Birma,  the"  Tom  and  all  the  important 
tributaries  of  the  upjier  Amiir.  Tlie  inhabitants  of  the  villages  which  are 
situated  on  the  banks  of  the  large  rivers  furnish  great  quantities  of  wood 
for  the  steamers.  Others  supply  Blagoveshchensk  with  building  material.  The 
profits  obtained  by  the  population  from  this  industry  exceed  R.  :30().00(i  annu- 
ally. The  want  of  a  regular  and  more  extensive  exploitation  of  the  forests 
with  export  abroad,  namely  to  China  and  Japan  which  stand  in  need  of  tim- 
ber, is  explained  by  the  absence  of  the  spirit  of  enterprise. 

Household  industry  is  still  at  a  very  primitive  stage  of  development;  the 
local  population  pursuing  more  profitable  occupations,  prefers  to  supjtly 
itself  with  articles  imported  from  European  Russia  and  Western  Siberia. 
Only  at  Blagoveshchensk,  which  is  the  chief  centre  of  the  territory,  domestic 
industries  such  as  soap-boiling,  tanning,  fur-dressing,  rope  and  carriage 
manufacturing  have  a  greater  development. 

Manufactures  arc  but  just  beginning  in  the  territory  and  are  at  present 
to  he  found  only  in  Blagovi'shchensk.  Together  with  the  gold-mining  industry, 
which  is  ever  on  the  increase,  the  annual  production  exceeds  R.  lo.iHi«i,fxxi 
of  which  8,000.000  are  obtained  from  the  gold  mines,  Trade  in  the  .\miir  ter- 
ritory becomes  more  animated  every  year.  The  export  is  still  confined  to  the 
sale  of  agricultural  products  to  the  Littoral  territory,  of  furs  to  Europe  and 
Russia  and  Manchuria,  and  keeps  within  moderate  proportions,  but  the  local 
trade  progresses  considerably,  and  the  articles  imported  from  European  Rus- 
sia and  abroad  find  a  ready  sale.  The  value  of  the  imi)orted  goods  exceeds 
R.  7,aTO,00«l.  including  Russian  goods  for  over  R.  4..500,00O  and  foreign  articles 
I{.  2.500,000.  The  chief  commercial  centres  of  the  teiTitory  are  the  town  of 
Blagoveshchensk  and  the  Cossack  villages  of  Albazin.  Cherniaevskaya.  Yeka- 
terino-XikcJlsk  and  Mikhiiilo-Semionovsk. 


I 


4U0  GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 

Ways  of  conniuuiication.  The  most  important  ovorlanil  coinmunk-alion  of 
tlio  territory  is  afforded  by  the  post  road,  running  along  the  Araiir  for  a  di- 
stance of  1,664  versts,  from  the  station  of  Pokrovsk  to  the  town  of  Khabarovsk. 
It  serves  lor  carriage  and  pack-animal  traffic.  According  to  official  data,  the 
first  mode  of  tran.sportation  is  carried  on  for  a  distance  of  «99  and  the  sec- 
ond for  76.T  versts.  From  the  station  of  Pokrovsk  to  the  station  of  Busse, 
the  road  can  only  be  used  by  pack-animals  and  farther  east  the  wheel-traffic 
at  some  points  must  give  place  to  them.  The  absence  ofa  continuous  carriage 
road,  ferries  and  bridges  does  not  make  a  great  difference  between  the  two 
modes  of  conveyance.  In  summer,  the  post-road  crosses  117  rivers  and  streams. 
of  which  only  the  Zeya  is  provided  with  a  convenient  passage.  Consequently, 
in  spring  and  at  the  time  of  the  ice-drift,  all  communication  is  practically 
impossible.  During  the  winter,  mails,  passengers  and  goods  are  conveyed  by 
the  ice  on  the  Amur.  All  the  other  overland  roads  in  the  territory  are  no 
more  than  paths. 

The  want  of  roads  for  wheel-traffic  and  especially  the  position  of  the 
great  highroad  along  the  Amur  attracted  the  special  attention  of  the  Com- 
mittee for  the  construction  of  the  Siberian  railway.  In  the  spring  of  1899,  ; 
the  Committee  undertook  the  construction  of  a  road  leading  from  Sretensk 
to  the  town  of  Blagoveshchensk  and  from  Khabarovsk  to  the  village  of  Mi- 
khailo-Semionovsk.  For  want  of  voluntary  workmen,  the  exile  convicts  and 
other  prisoners  confined  in  the  prisons  of  the  Amur  region  were  admitted 
to  work  on  the  overland  route. 

The  absence  of  convenient  communications  is  compensated  by  the  abund- 
ance of  waterways  in  the  Amt!ir  territory.  Besides  the  Amur,  which  presents 
the  chief  artery  of  the  region,  there  are  the  navigable  rivers  Zeya  and  Hu- 
reya,  the  most  important  tributaries  of  the  Amiir. 

Navigation  on  the  Amur  has  been  only  recently  started.  In  1S44,  by  order 
of  the  Emperor,  a  tender  was  offered  to  a  Russo-American  company  to  equip  „ 
a  vessel  at  the  cost  of  the  Government  in  order  to  explore  the  mouth  of  the. 
.Vmiir.   On    the   5  May.  1846.  the  vessel  ..Konstantin'  under  the  command  of 
(lavrilov   entered   the   Amur,    being   the   first  ship  which  ever  navigated  its  ^ 
waters.  In  1857,  five  steamers  belonging  to  the  Government  were   plying   on  i 
the   Amur.   At   the  same  time,  private  individuals  and  various   Government 
Institutions   provided  themselves  with  steamers.  The  first  private  steamers 
appeared    on    the   Amur   in    1859:   the   Telegra|)h  Department  possessed  five 
steamers  in  1868,  the  Engineering  Depai'tnient  owned  three:  thus,  in  1870.  the 
total  numbei'  of  steamers  on  the  Amur  was  25. 

According  to  the  stipulation  of  the  Committee  of  Ministers  sanctioned, 
in  1871,  the  maintenance  of  permanent  steam  navigation  on  the  rivers  o^ 
the  .\mur  basin  was  entrusted  to  the  ^Company  for  the  Establishment  or ' 
Regular  Navigation  on  the  Rivers  of  the  .\miir  Basin'",  under  the  engage- 
ment to  maintain  navigation  by  nuiil  and  passenger  steamers  at  fixed  dates, 
from  Sretensk  to  Xikolaevsk  and  back,  starting  at  an  interval  of  15  days;  by 
mail  steamers,  without  fixed  times,  from  Khabarovsk  to  Lake  Khanka  anc^' 
back,  starting  every  seventh  day,  and  from  Lake  Khanka  to  Kamen  Ry- 
balov  and  back,  twice  a  week;  and  irregularly  by  steamers  from  Sretensk  to 
Xikohievsk,  as  required. 

This  coni|)any,  subsitiised  In'  the  (ioviMMUuont,  managed  its  business  SOf 
badly  that  in  1891  further  assistance  was  refused  to  it.  In  .May  of  1S92,  the 
Department   of  Trade  and   Manufactures  concluded  a  15  years'  contract  with 


AMUR  TEBKITOKY. 


401 


Siliiriak'A  ami  Sliovcliov,  comnn'iu'iiij;-  IVdin  1S'.I4.  I'lir  tlu'  fslalilishinciu  nl' 
lobular  navigation  on  the  rivers  of  the  Amur  luisin.  engaging  thcni  to  niaivc  re- 
gular passages  for  mails  and  passengers  from  Sretensk  to  Xikoliievsk  and 
back  at  least  onee  in  ten  days,  and  onee  a  week  hy  the  Ussurl  and  Lake 
Khanka  from  K'habarovsk  to  Kamen  Rybali'iv  and  liaek. 

The  eontraelors,  by  mutual  agreement  with  Makeev.  organised  a  company 
under  the  name  of  the  Amur  Steamship  and  Trade  Company. 

At  jiresent.  according  to  the  list  of  the  commercial  and  riovernmeni 
fleets  plying  on  the  rivers  of  the  Amur  liasin,  they  consist  of  the  IVdlow- 
ing  craft: 


.Steamers.            Tiuiiiaii'c. 

Freights 
tugged. 

[       Barges. 

Tonnage.        j 
1 

1 
wood-     steid 

wood- 

steel 

wood- 

steel 

wood- 

steel 

wood- 

steel 

en     and  iron 

en 

and  iron 

en 

and  iron 

i    en 

and  iron 

en 

anil  imn 

:'..">           .">;• 

I^IO.OOO 

73,7(X) 

9.50 

]19..500 

3C 

87 

455,S{») 

l.r)53,900 

'.14 

384 

,6CH) 

1,20 

4,500 

1 

2.i 

2,009,700          1 

IM'  till'  whole  conunercial  fleet,  the  .\miir  Steamship  and  Trade  Company 
'wns  21  steel  steamers  and  45  barges  of.  The  .Vmur  Navigation  Company 
I'ossesses  18  steel  steamers  and  55  bar.ges  of  various  construction. 

.\11  the  other  vessels  of  the  Commercial  fleet  are  distributed  amon;;  ihr 
liovei-nment  and  35  owners. 

.Vll    the    vessels    navigating    in    the    .\miii'    basin    ai'o  of  two  kinds:  mail 

i'assenger)  and  tugs.  The  greater  number  of  engines,  the  hulls  of  steamers 

uid  the  iron  barges  are  made  abroad,    mostly    in    Belgium   at   the  works  of 

•  "ockerill   and    Co.,    in  England  by  .\rmstrong  and  Co.,  at  Glasgow,  by  Alley 

;ind  Maclelland. 

There  an'  no  special  steamers  on  the  .Vmiir  I'or  the  I'oiiveyance  of  pass- 
■ngers;  friMght  and  tug-steamers  are  used  for  this  purpose.  They  are  lacking 
II  comt'ort  and  do  not  in  any  way  meet  the  rei|uirements  of  the  public,  as 
iiught  be  expected  from  a  link  in  the  universal  transit  route.  The  food  served 
on  the  steamers  is  far  from  being  good,  the  purchase  of  provisions  on 
shore  is  very  difficult,  as  most  of  the  Cossack  villages  along  the  .Vnuir  are 
far  from  prosiioring. 

In  spite  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  .\miir  navigation,  characterising  all 
the  river  basins  of  Siberia,  a  considerable  increase  of  the  .\mur  commercial 
fleet  has  been  provoked  by  the  local  demand,  clearly  testifying  to  the  com- 
mercial and  economical  importance  of  the  country. 

The  development  of  traffic  on  the  waterways  in  the  .Vnuir  territory  will 
however  not  be  sufficient  to  enliven  the  country,  on  ac<'ounl  of  its  physii'al 
conditions.  The  construction  of  a  railway  connecting  it  with  the  outer  worlil 
will  alone  increase  its  importance  as  one  of  the  areas  in  Asiatic  Russia  best 
adapted  for  colonisation  and  plentifully  provided  with  mineral  wealth. 


402 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


Among  the  three  nnites  projected  in  the  Amur  territory  Irom  ihi'  suilion 
of  Polvi'ovsiv  to  the  town  of  Khabarovsk,  the  one  passing  along  the  northern 
border  lands  is  considered  the  more  favourable,  as  traversing  a  coiinti-.v  avail- 
able for  colonisation  and  running  almost  throughout  its  entire  course  at  a 
distance    from  the  Amur  basin.  Us  total  length  is  estimated  at  1304'/2  versts. 

The  Amur  railway,  planned  to  skirt  the  country  occupied  by  Russian 
colonisation,  will  remain  for  coming  generations  a  valuable  monument  recall- 
ing a  memorable  even'  in  the  history  of  the  Far  East,  namely  the  visit 
to  this  region  of  the  Heir  .\pparent  to  the  Russian  throne,  the  present  Em- 
peror Nicholas  II. 


DGKAPll  Y. 


1  )  From  Vladivostok  to  I'r'i'ilsk.  tliiidc  to  tlii'  .loiirncv  ol'  His  Imju'rinl  IliirhiU'S.s  llic  Tscsa- 
rovich.  Publ.  hv  tho  Centrivl  Statistical  Committee  ot  the  .Min.  of  the  hit.  St.  I'lig.  IfSDl.  2)  The 
oiirney  of  the  Eiiiiieror  Nicholas  II  to  the  East  (in  1890  —  1891)  by  Pr.  I'khtoinsky.  vol.  Ill 
St.  Petersburg.  1897.  ;!)  Stati-stics  of  the  Russian  Empire  XXVII.  The  volosts  and  inhabited 
localities  in  18(iH.  The  .\inur  Territory.  Publ.  by  the  Cent.  Statist.  Comni.  of  the  .Min  ot  the 
Int.  St.  Pbg.  1898.  4)  Tlie  Siberian  Trade  and  Industry  Calendar  by  Romanov.  Tomsk.  lS9ti— 
1899.  5)  The  Oeog-raphieal  and  Statistical  Dictionary  of  the  Aniiir  and  Littoral  Territories,  by 
Ririlov.  lilag-oveshchensk.  1894.  til  Description  of  gold  and  mining  industries  in  the  .\niur  and 
Littoral  territories.  Record  of  the  manager  of  the  Irkutsk  .Mining  Department.  .Mining  Engineer 
liogoliubsky.  St.  Pbg.  1897.  7 1  Siberia  and  the  Great  Siberian  Railway.  Publ.  by  the  Min,  of 
Piuance.  Trade  and  Industry  Department  St.  Pbg.  1896.  8)  Description  of  the  Amur  territory 
by  Grum-Crrzhiuuiilo.  revised  by  Semionov.  St.  Pbg.  1894.  9)  Surveys  for  the  Amur  railway 
of  1894  and  189(i:  Min.  of '  Ways  ot  Com.  lilagoveshchensk.  189tl"  |(l)  Review  of  the  most 
important  waterways  of  tlie  Amur  region  by  Timouov.  St.  Pbg.  1897.  Ill  Works  of  the  III 
congress  in  Khabarovsk  by  Kriukov.  Khabarovka.   189.'!. 


The  Shilka-Amiir  waierwav. 


Names  of   sottk'-  ;| 
incnts  and  sta- 
tions. 


Distanct? 
from  Sri'tensk. 


I)iW(Tl|)titni    .if   ilii'    s.'hli'int'iiis     >t;ltiniis  :util   rnilft' 


Sn'fensk. 


Si't.  of  Maneidaiiik  ... 

Villain'  of  Shilkino. .  ., 
Hou.-^es   191.         i' 
I'op.  4Vtil  m. 
Mu  J. 
9.V7 


llace  of  Tst-Kara  . 
Houses   124. 
Pop.  :K)li  III. 
:iuo  f^ 

(JUO 


Svtt.  of  Gorliitsa 

Houses  SHI. 

Pop.  24.->  lu.  I 
•2«<)  f. 

.T«».j 


By  the  Shi'lka. 

Cossack  village    in  the  Nerchinsk  district  of  the 
Transbaikal  Cossack  troops. 

til  Cossack  settlement  of  LiimoTsk. 

8.'^'  4     !  In  the  .Xerchiiisk  Works  district,  at  the  junction 

of  the  Chalbi'iea  with  the  SIn'Ika. 

Village  board.  Two  wooden  churches  of  the  Trans- 
figuration.  built  in  1827,  and  of  St.  Innocent  in 
18s4.  School  with  one  class.  Post  and  telegraph 
office.  Post  station.  Medical  station  of  the  Nerchinsk 
Works  district.  .\  silver  works,  formerly  evistlug 
here  has  been  abolished  on  account  of  the  scarcity 
of  the  silver  ore  and  of  the  difficulty  of  transport. 
and  also  because  gold-iulning  is  the  chief  Industry. 
Close  by  is  the  Yekaterina  mine,  situated  on  the  lePl 
bank  of  the  luountaiu  -  stream  Matikiin.  falling  into 
t'  the  Shilka,  opened  in  1775.  plentifully  supplied 
il  with  iron-ore  Vnuning  in  veins  amidst  clayey  slate 
;]    and  containing  white  lead-ore. 

106  111  the  Shilka  vAlost,  belonging  to  the  Nerchinsk 

Works  district,  at  the  junction  of  the  Kama  with 
the  Shilka.  Two  wooden  churclies  of  St.  Xicliola.s 
the  Miracle-worker  of  Mirlicia.  built  in  1877.  and 
of  St.  Elias  erected  in  1893.  Telegraph  ofTice.  I'ost 
station.  The  former  Kara  penal  prison  was  situated 
at  a  distance  of  a  verst  and  a  half.  The  following 
gold  mines,  bt>longing  to  the  Cabinet  of  His  Majesty, 
are  situated  within  10  versts  down  the  Kara,  on 
its  right  bank:  1 )  The  Upper  Kara  mine  discovered 
in  1838:  2)  the  Yekaterino-Xikolaevsk  or  Middle  Kiira 
mine,  within  3'  2  versts  from  the  first,  found  in 
1852:  3)  the  Lower  Kara  mine.  4  versts  from  the 
latter,  discovered  in  183il:  4l  The  Luzhanka,  falling 
into  the  Shilka.  S  versts  from  the  Lower  Kara.  Bar 
3  versts  below  I'st-Kara.  Lowest  water  level  2'  i 
fc«t. 

Klrf'  i     '  Cossack  settlement  of  the  village  of  finrbitsa  on  the 

left  bank  of  the  Shilka.  near  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Gorbitsa  (1220  feet  alKive  .sea  level).  The  river  lii'ir- 
bitsa  formerly  represented  the  frontier  of  China  and 
Russia:  the  settlement  establi.shed  was  the  boundary 
post,  which  received  the  name  of  village  u|iou  the 
oreanisation  of  the  Transbaikal  troops.  Wooden  church 
of'St.  Procopius.  built  in  1886.  School.  Post  station. 
Beyond  Gorbitsa.  in  the  rocks,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Shilka  occur  granite  and  syenite  with  large  crystals 
of  spar,  svenitic  porphyry  and  clusters  of  diabase. 
Marble  of  good  quality  is  found  on  the  Oazini6r 
ridge  in  the  environs  of  the  Gurbitisa. 


404 


GrlDI-:  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


Names   of  settle- 
ments and  sta- 
tions. 


Distance 
from  Srftensk 


Stnt.  of  Soholinava...  2()9'/2 


I'ost  station.  Bar  near  IJi'rinzov  with  lowest  wa- 
ter Ifvi-I  nl'  «'  4   li'i'l. 


Sett.  ofr-t-SiM-i'lM-iiiiisk  2fill' 


Stat,  of  Povorotnava. .  309 


Cossack  scttlcnu-iit  fnmi  the  Olnchiusk  viiiiig'o, 
liejoiig-ing'  to  the  .Nercliiiisk  Works  district.  Post  sta- 
tion. Bar  called  „Anikinsk  reacli"  with  lowest  wat- 
er mark  of  2  feet. 

Post  station.  Slate  and  roof  .slate  are  fonrid 
beyond  the  station. 


By   the   A m  li  r. 


Settl.  of  Pokrovsk  ...! 
Houses  09.  ! 

Pop.  1S9  m. 
187  f. 
876 


Vil.  of  Igniishinskava . 
Houses  ,'5S. 
Pop.  119  ni. 
105  f. 


224 


3")8''.4     j  Cossack  village  founded  in  185S.  The   first  set- 

tlement established  in  the  .4miir  territory  along  the 
Amiir.  It  is  situated  4  versts  l)elow  the  junction  of 
'  the  Shilka  with  the  Argun.  There  is  a  wooden 
church  in  honour  of  the  Intercession  of  the  Holy 
Virgin.  .V  chapel  built  in  commemoration  ot  the  mir- 
aculous escape  of  the  Imperial  Family  from  the 
accident  of  the  17  October  18^8.  A  school  and  post 
and  telegraph  office,  lirain  store,  five  shops:  whole- 
sale wine-cellar.  Residence  of  the  director  of  the 
I  section  of  the  2  department  of  the  waterway.s  of 
the  Amur  basin.  Eastern  longitude  from  the  observ- 
atory of  Pi'ilkovo.  6  hours  4  m.  50  sec.  On  the 
way  from  Pokrovsk  along  the  left  bank  of  the 
Amur,  stands  out  the  steep  cliff  of  Byrkinsk 
deriving  its  name  from  the  Tungns  word  „l)erke", 
which  Mieans  „bold":  the  .Vmur  rushes  past  this 
cliff  with  an  extraordinary  velocity.  Within  12  versts 
of  Pokrovsk  occurs  the  Mangaleisk  Bar,  very  dang- 
erous on  account  of  tlie  stoues  lying  at  the  bottom 
of  the  river. 


412'.'2     il  Cossack  \-illage  founded  in  1658  at  the  junction 

';    with  the  Ignashina.    Church    in  honour  of  the  Holy 
Pro]ihet  F,lia,s.  school,    village  board,    post  and  tele- 
graph office.  4  shops,  wine  .stores,   aniunition  store, 
grain  store.  Within  8  versts  of  the  village,  there  are 
alkaline-chalybeate  springs.  On  the  right  bunk  of  the 
.Vmur,  opposite  the  village,  is  situated  the  centre  of 
the  Chinese  gold  mining  industry    „.Mokho",  with  a 
military    camp    of   500    .soldiers.    At   a  distance   of 
35  versts  in  the  interior  of  Manchuria,  on  the  Zhel- 
'    ti'iga,    tributary    of  the    Albiizikha,    are  situated  the 
J    Zheltuga    gold     mines    discovered    in    1883,    which 
attracted  in    1884    and    1885    a  population    of  over 
,    10,000.    These  mines    were  known  under  the  name 
i'    of    the    Zheltuga  liepublic.  In   ISriti,  the  Manchurian 
||    troops  dis]iersed    the    plunderer.s    and    burnt   all   the 
!|    huilding.s. 


THE  SHILKA-AMUR  WATKliWAY. 


4(1.') 


Nanu's   of  settlt- 
iiients  and  sta- 
tions. 


I      Diiitaiicu 
I  from  SnHi'iisk, 


Sc(t,  of  Dzhaliiida  .  .  . 

(Kl'LllOVO). 

Houses  1(1(1. 

!'ii|i.  l3(i()  111. 
2Ci2  f. 
528 


'>-i7'  -l     I  Ciissiick    scttlcmi'iit    cslalilislu'd   in   1858.  imiiii'tl 

I  in  honour  of  engimvr  Kcinc  wlu)  took  piirt  in  the 
j  Amur  cxiu'dition.  C'liiircli  of  (lie  Arcliiing-cl  Micliaol. 
'  3  .sliops.  carrying  ou  trado  with  tlic  "owiut.s  aiul 
I  workmen  of  the  ncifhliourinir  mines.  The  annual  hiisi- 
ness  amounts  to  .several  hundred  thoiisunds  of  rubls. 
Grain  store.  Post  and  tel^'uraiih  olllee.  Hen-  are  the 
office  and  warehouses  of  the  l'|i|ier-.\ini'ir  irold  min- 
ing ('om|)any.  Heyond  Keinovo,  the  Amur  enters  a 
wide  valley,  where  the  islands  increase  in    niimher. 


Vil.  of  Alhazin 

Houses   l.")(l 
l'o[i.  4(17  III. 

;$7ii  f 


(!S(i 


■').'i2-'  I  Cossack  village  founded  in  18.')8,  opposite  the 
Alhazikha.  important  trihiitary  of  the  Amur.  Two 
churches  of  the  Holy  Trinity  and  of  St.  .Nicholas  the 
Miracle-worker  stand  in  the  cemetery;  school  with 
two  classes,  post  and  telegraph  ofllce,  grain  store. 
\\  shops.  The  village  was  hnilt  on  the  ruins  of  the  old 
town  of  Alhazin,  foiiiided  in  Iliol  hy  the  Cossack 
chief  Khaliarov  on  the  site  of  a  town  which  form- 
erly belonged  to  the  Haiirian  prince  Alliaza,  from 
whom  the  town  derived  its  name.  In  ItJS.').  .Vlliaziii 
was  attacked  liy  a  Chinese  army  of  15,000  men. 
After  a  short  siege,  the  Russians  surrendered  the 
town,  having  obtained  the  right  to  return  to  the 
Transhaiki'il.  Alhazin  was  destroyed  hy  the  Chinese. 
When  their  army  retired,  the  Cossacks  returned.  In 
1686.  Alhazin  was  again  besieged  beini;'  defended  bv 
737  Cossacks  under  the  I'ominaiid  of  Tolbiizin  and,  alter 
his  death,  under  that  of  Beiton.  The  siege  lasted  a 
whole  year,  till  the  Chinese  army  left  the  place. 
In  1689.  by  the  Nerchinsk  treaty.  Albazfn  was 
evacuated  hy  the  Russians  and  again  destroyed 
by  the  Chinese.  Among  the  curiosities  of  Alhazin, 
there  i.s  an  old  image  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  kept 
now  in  the  cathedral  at  Blagoveshchensk,  and 
the  grave  of  the  hero  of  Alhazin,  Ale.vis  Tolbiizin 
On  the  initiative  of  the  Amur  (iovernor-fieneral, 
by  order  of  the  Flmperor  i.ssiied  in  ].8'J8.  voluntary 
donations  were  collected  throughout  the  Russian 
Empire  for  the  erection  of  a  monument  in  the  village 
of  Alhazin  to  Alexis  Tolbiizin,  Ijieiitenant  Colonel 
Beiton  and  other  heroes,  who  200  years  ago  defend- 
ed   the  town  of   Alhazin  nfainst     li tiaek     of  the 

Gliinese  and  Manchnrians. 


Sett,  ol  Bek<^tovsk  . . .            Miv'  i  Cossack  settlement  ostablislied    in   1859.    It   re- 
llonses  27.  ceived  its  name  in  honour    of  the  sotuik    I'eler  Be- 
Pop.  K;{  m.  ketov.  founder  of  the  Nerchinsk  penal  pri.son  in  l(i5-l. 
7S  f.                            ji  The  settlement  contains  a  chapel,  a  post    and    tele- 
ICl                                 !  graph  otfice.  grain  stores.    From  here  the  cour.se  of 
the  .\niur  widens,  islands  occur  more  frei|uently.  the 
;;  river  flows  first  eastwards  and  then  soiithea.st.  The 
I  Beketov  Bar  is  within    0  ver.st.s    of   the  settlement, 
i  being  practicable  when  the  water  is  4  feet  deep. 


406 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


Xamos    of  settle- 
ments ivnd  sta- 
tions. 


Vil. 


of  Cliprniaevo  . . . 
Houses  54. 
Pop.  184111. 
160  f. 


.■544 


Distance 
from  Srftensk. 


740 


Description  of  the  settlements  stiitioiis  and  route. 


Cossack  village  founded  in  IHoS.  it  received  its 
name  in  honour  of  Colonel  Cheruiaev.  first  comman- 
der of  the  Cossack  liripade.  Church  of  St.  Innocent 
of  Irkutsk,  village  Imard,  school,  post  station,  grain 
stores.  Residence  ol  the  manger  of  tlie  2  section  for 
the  2  department  of  the  waterwaj^s  of  the  .\mur 
hasin.  I'Voni  the  station,  the  postroad  leads  to  tlie 
mines  situated  on  the  Zeva.  Telegraph.  A  Chinese 
picket  is  posted  on  the  right  hank.  From  Cherniayevo. 
the  Amur  flows  to  the  S.  E. 


Station  01  Cherniayevo. 


Stat,  of  Tsagayiin.  . 


S431  2 


Vill. 


of   Novo-Voskre- 

senskoc  

Houses  48. 
Pop.  UWm. 
157  f. 


:i5U 


875i.'4 


Post  station. 

Here  the  bank  rises  like  a  wall  from  the  wat- 
er's edge  to  an  altitude  of  250  feet  The  smooth 
summit  of  this  wall  is  covered  with  moss  and.  as 
recalling  the  closely  shorn  head  of  a  Lama  the  Mant-grs 
call  it  Lama-Khadar  or  Lama  cliff.  The  locality  de- 
signated hy  the  name  of  Tsagayan  (Tsag-Yan  or  white 
mountains)  is  held  in  veneration  by  the  .\mur  tribes 
and  the  Chinese.  It  stretches  from  the  Lama-Khadar 
for  a  distance  of  1'  a  versts  and  is  characterised  by 
steep  slopes.  The  whole  of  the  Tsagayan  consists  of 
yellow  sandstone  in  horizontal  strata  with  streaks 
of  brown-coal,  which  is  perpetually  smouldering.  Thus 
the  Tsagayan  mountains,  being  constantly  lit  up,  offer 
a  beautiful  sight  to  the  traveller  passing  along  the 
Aiiifir  in  the  night.  I'pon  reaching  the  Tsagayan,  the 
Amtir  makes  a  wide  bend,  its  course  turning  from 
cast  to  soiitli  and  further  on  west. 

Peasant  settlement  created,  in  1870,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Innokan,  by  emigrants  from  the  Astra- 
khan, Voronezh,  Tomsk  and  Irkutsk  governments  and 
from  the  Transbaikiil  territory.  Chapel  of  Chri-st's 
Kesurreetion.  school,  grain  stores,  telegraph  station. 
From  the  mouth  of  the  Iniiokau.  the  Anii'ir  turns 
.south-west  and.  for  a  distance  of  12  versts  rolls  its 
waves  through  a  wide  and  open  valley  furrowing  it 
with    its    branches.    The    breadth   of  the  river  here 


THE  SHILKA-Aja'R  WATERWAY. 


407 


.\;iiiu->   (i|     st-lllt- 

uu'iits  and  stji- 
tions. 


I      Dktaui'c 
.  from  Srttensk. 


Description  of  the  sottloments,  stations  and  rontc 


Sett,  of  Rnltsovsk. .  . 
Iloii.ses   12. 

I'op.  22  ni. 

IS  r. 


Stat,  of  .\Iax!inilrovk.i 


Vil.  of  St;iro-Kuniar;i 
llou.^os  :!ii. 

l'o|).  12s  ni. 
152  f.   I 
2S(i 

Slat,  of  Sainadi'in  .... 


reachc;  S'a  versts.  Knrtlier  on.  the  Amur  tnrns  west 
and  its  left  bank,  cnnsistinp  of  red  sandstone  ri.M's 
to  a  heisrht  of  about  'MM\  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  water,  forniing  a  cape  named  Kazakevicli  illikan 
by  the  natives).  Seen  from  the  .<onth-west.  the  eape 
represents  a  human  fiL'ure  of  ininienM'  size  witli  a 
helmet  on  its  head. 

Stl4-'  1  Cossack  settlement  established  in   18.i9.  It  recei- 

ved its  name  in  hononr  of  the  Cossack  ataman  Iviin 
Kolt.st').  a  companion  of  Yernuik's.  I'ost  station.  Near 
this  station,  the  rifhf  bank  forms  the  so-called 
Korsakov  Cape  or  the  (Ml  Mountain  with  an  altitude 
of  soil  feet  above  the  water-level.  Tliis  nionntain 
consists  of  blocks  of  amycrdaloid  niela|phire  projectlnir 
in  reg-ular  semicircles  towards  the  river  nnd  rent  by 
deep  creva.s.ses.  The  niiphtha  llnwinf  from  this  monnf- 
nin  accounts  for  the  name  of  Oil  .Mi)untiiiu  irivcn  it 
by  the  Cossacks:  by  the  natives  it  is  known  under 
that  of  Vaug'an. 

Vl2n'  -J  Post  station.  Witliin  3  versts    of   the    village  of 

Knmara,  opposite  the  month  of  the  Knniarii,  rises  a 
fine  vertical  cliff  with  a  flat  sninmit.  This  cliff  Is 
known  under  the  name  of  Cape  Korsakov  or  Lango- 
pcr  by  the  natives.  Dashikhada  by  the  .Manchus.  Hy 
desire  of  Baron  Rnrff.  first  Oovernor-Cieneral  of  the 
.\mur  territory,  an  immense  iron-covered  cross  was 
placed  on  the  upper  plateau  of  the  cliff:  the  cross 
is  painted  white  and  has  a  brass  plate  attached  to 
it  on  which  are  traced  the  words  spoken  by  the 
Baron  at  the  opening  of  the  meeting-  of  .competent 
men-,  which  took  place  at  Khabarovsk  with  a  view- 
to  ascertain  the  re(|uirenuMits  of  the  country: 

.Power  lies  not  in  force,  but  in  love".  This 
cross  surrounded  by  a  rail  fence  of  eastiron  is  vis- 
ible at  a  distance  of  .50  versts  from  the  Ushakov 
settlement. 

'.i74'  1  Cos.sack  villag-e  founded  in  1858.    Church  of  the 

.Vativity  of  .lohn  the  Baptist,  school,  post  and  tele- 
g-raph  office,  village  board,  grain  stores  After  the 
inundation  of  1872.  part  of  the  inhabitants  settled 
on  the  Bureya  and  established,  '.I  ver^ts  lowi-r,  the 
settlement  of  Novo.-Kiiniara. 

liilp  1  Before  reaching  the  settlement  of  Korsakov,  the 

Amur  describes  several  sharp  bends.  This  remarkable 
Avindinp  bears  the  name  of  the  I'luso-Modonsk  Bend. 
The  curve  is  double  and  represents  the  figure  8. 
The  Anmr,  keeping  iti  a  bed  from  2"><)  lo  400  saxh- 
ens  wide  skirts  two  peninsulas,  of  which  the  left 
belongs  to  the  Ru.ssian  dominions,  and  the  right  to 
the  Chinese.  The  peninsulas  have  a  circumference  of 
30  to  35  versts,  and  are  connected  with  the  conti- 
nent by  narrow  strips  of  land  one  verst  and  a  half. 


-Kis 


Gl'lnh-  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    l{AIL\VAY. 


Names  of  settle- 
ments and  stii- 

tinlls. 


Distance 
from  Sretensk. 


Description  of  the  settli'iucnts,  stations  and  roiitt- 


Sett,  of  Bnsst- 

llonses  45. 

I'op.  l!l-2  111. 
1.S7  r. 


1035V4 


379 


Town  of  Blagovesh- 
chensk   

Houses  S'jU). 
Pop.  lilfiti.^  ni. 
12941   f. 
32606 


and  a  verst  wide.  On  the  isthmus  of  the  Russian 
peninsula  of  a  verst  broad  is  situated  tlio  .setth'iuent 
of  Korsakov,  and  opposite  to  the  ntlier.  belonfing:  to 
tlie  Cliinese.  stands  tlie  settlement  of  Hnsse.  Both 
peninsulas  have  an  elevated  surface,  covered  with 
various  trees,  which  desi'ending'  to  the  river  in 
a  steep  line,  falls  abruptly  to  the  isthmus.  The 
banks  at  the  bend  are  rocky  and  consist  ofjrranite. 
syenite,  porphyry  and  clayey  slates,  among  which 
occur  seams  of  coal  and  grapliite.  In  former  times  a 
Chinese  post  and  a  temple  in  honour  of  Confucius 
stood  on  the  bend  of  the  river. 

Cossack  settlement  established  in  18L7.  It  re- 
ceived its  name  in  honour  of  Major  Busse,  member 
of  the  expedition  who  occupied  the  month  of  the 
Amur  in  1849  to  1858,  later  on  Governor  of  the 
Amur  territory.  Chapel  of  the  Intercession  of  the 
Holy  Virgin,  school,  grain  stores,  post  and  tele- 
araph  office.  \  Chinese  picket  is  posted  on  the 
right  bank 

Below  the  settlement  of  Busse,  the  Amur  assumes 
a  S.  S.  W.  direction,  keeping  in  one  bed  of  .'iCKj 
to  400  sazliens  wide  amidst   rockv  banks. 


Town  of  Blagoveshchensk. 


I(i0"2 


Capital  of  the  territory  and  the  only  town  in 
the  Amur  region:  residence  of  the  Governor-General, 
centre  of  the  military,  civil  and  judicial  administra- 
tion. The  town  lies  under  .50^  15'.\.  hit.  and  97^ 
15'E.  long,  (from  the  observatory  of  I'lilkovo  near 
St.  Petersburg),  at  the  junction  of  the  Aniiir  and 
the  Zeya.  and  stands  on  the  left  abrupt  but  level 
bank,  bounded  by  hills  on  the  west  and  north  west. 
The  eastern  longitude  from  I'l'ilkovo  in  hours  is  tih. 
28  m.  44 .  7  s.  The  town  was  founded  in  1856. 
and  existed  as  a  military  post  under  the  name  of 
Ust-Zeisk.  In  1857.  it  was  reduced    to  the  rank  of 


THE  SHILKA-AMUR  WATEKW  AY. 


409 


Niiini's    of  sfiilf- 
im-nts  and  sta- 
tions. 


Distance 
from  Srctensk. 


DesiTiptioii  of  tlic  si'ttlciiicnt.';.  stations  and  routi' 


a  Tillage  and  in  1858  was  transformrd  into  a  town- 
ship, wliich  became  a  centre  of  administration  in  the 
.\miir  territory.  On  the  21  .May.  ISJS.  t'ouiif  .Mnra- 
viiiv-Ainiirsliy  npon  his  arrival  at  the  I'st-Zeisk  post, 
reported  to  the  Emperor  the  conclnsion  of  the  .Vifi'in 
treaty  witli  the  Chiiie.se:  on  the  same  day,  the 
Archbishop  Innocent  laid  the  first  stone  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  church  in  honour  of  tl]e  Annunciation 
to  the  Holy  Viririn;  at  tlie  same  time,  the  I'st-Zeisk 
post  received  the  name  of  the  town  of  lilafovesh- 
chensk  in  coninienioration  of  the  fact  that  the  g-ood 
news  of  the  annexation  of  tlie  Amnr  territory  tn  the 
Russian  dominions  first  reached  tliis  point.  During 
the  church  parade,  whidi  took  place  upon  tliis  occa- 
sion. Count  .Muraviov  issued  tlie  following  prikiiz 
(order  of  the  day)  to  the  Fst  Zeisk  troops:  „('om- 
rades!  I  congratulate  yonl  Our  efforts  were  not  in 
vain,  the  Amur  has  become  the  property  of  Russia. 
The  holy  orthodox  church  prays  for  yonl  Russia  is 
grateful.  Long  live  the  Emperor  Alexander  111  May 
the  newly  acijuired  country  prosper  under  his  mighty 
protection!  llurrah!-. 

The  new  towii,  on  account  of  its  favourable  po- 
sition on  two  navigable  rivers  and  the  proximity  tn 
the  settled  portion  of  Manchuria,  has  gradually  expand- 
ed. Its  growth  has  been  particularly  noticeable  from 
the  year  18^0.  caused  by  the  development  of  the 
gold  mining  industry  and  by  the  extraordinary  stream 
of  emigration  to  the  Zeya  and  Bnreya  plains.  The 
town  is  rearnlarly  laid  out  and  the  streets  are  wide 
and  .straight.  I'our  streets  .stretch  along  the  Amur 
divided  into  regular  i|uarters:  they  are  unpaved. 
The  c|uay  of  tlio  Amur  is  embellished  by  a  pretty 
boulevard.  The  best  gardens  in  the  town  arc  those 
of  the  cycli.sts,  and  of  the  public  club,  near  the 
military  governor's  house.  .Many  private  houses  have 
little  gardens,  especially  in  the  new  portion  of  the 
town  nearest  to  the  Zeya.  Vegetation  is  scanty  in 
the  environs  of  the  town,  where  occur  only  small 
groves  of  trees.  The  number  of  inhaliitants  accord- 
ing to  the  last  census,  is  given  at  32.K06  (19.6()5 
males.  12,941  females),  the  number  of  houses  ex- 
ceeds S.bOO.  they  are  mainly  of  wood  with  the  ex- 
ception of  .50  to  (V)  stone  buildings  erected  in  re- 
cent times,  among  which  the  most  important  are 
seminary,  poorhonse  for  the  clergy,  the  hon.ses  be- 
longing to  t'hi'irin  and  Co.,  Kun.st  and  Alliers,  the 
goidmiuer  Liirin.  ilenrichsen.  containing  tlu'  Survey 
Departament  for  the  ,\mur  railway,  Amur  Steamship 
Company.  There  are  8  churches  and  4  hou.'ie  chapels. 
The  first  stone  church  of  St.  Xicbolas  the  .Miracle- 
worker  was  completed  and  inaugurated  on  the  15 
May,  18S;?,  on  the  day  of  the  holy  coronation  of  the 
Emperor  Alexander  HI. 

Educational  institutions:  cla.ssical  gymnasinm, 
evmnasium  fur  irirls.  ecclesiastical  seniinarv  opened  In 


410 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Names  ol'   settle- 
ments and  sta- 
tiiins. 


Distance 
from  SrotiMis 


Description  of  tlio  settlements,  stations  and  route. 


1871,  clergy  scliool  and  model  school  attaclicd  to 
the  seminary,  three  town  schools  lor  boys,  scliool 
for  girls,  artisans'  school  and  fonr  church  jiarisli 
schools  for  hoys  and  g'irls.  The  estalilisliment  of  two 
new  institutions  is  contemplate  din  the  near  I'uhire:  a 
si'miriary  for  teachers  and  a  diocesan    school   for  girls. 

The  brotherhood  of  the  Holy  Virgin  started  its 
activity  In  1887:  besides  religions  and  missionary 
purposes,  it  aims  at  the  conversion  of  the  local  sec- 
tarians to  Orthodoxy.  The  town  has  no  charitable 
in.stitutions  and  the  medical  and  charitable  society 
founded  in  18GG  is  most  valuable  in  its  help  to  the 
poor  population.  It  maintains  a  hospital  for  the 
poor,  two  dispensary  rooms  for  the  sick,  a  home 
for  the  aged,  cripples  and  orphans,  and  also  assists 
the  poor  with  grants  of  money.  The  oidy  good  dis- 
pensary tliroughout  the  .\mur  territory  exists  in  Bla- 
goveshchensk at  the  cost  of  this  society.  It  operates 
according  to  a  charter  confirmed  liy  the  Ministry 
of  the  Interior  and  is  \iiider  the  direction  of  a  pa- 
tronage conncil.  The  annual  revenue  and  expenditure 
of  the  Society  amount  respectively  to  If.  30,000  and 
R.  40.000.  The  Kamchatka  diocesan  Kelief  Society  I'm- 
the  poor  belonging  to  thee  lergy  is  remarkable  for  its 
extensive  activity:  in  1889,  it  instituted  a  poorhouse 
and  a  home  for  widows  and  orphans  of  the  clergy. 

The  majority  of  persons  belonging  to  the  civil 
administration  obtain  medical  assistance  in  the  mil- 
itary hospital  containing  100  beds.  A  doctors'  so- 
ciety exists  from  the  year  1899.  A  public  library 
with  about  10.000  volumes  and  a  little  musi'uni 
arc  attached  to  the  town  board.  Two  nnoffieiiil 
newspapers  are  published  in  Blagoveshchensk:  „The 
Amur  Kegion"  and  „The  Amur  llazette".  Official 
organ:  „Tlie  Kamchatka  Diocesan  dazette",  twice  a 
month.  The  first  printing  office  in  the  Amur  region 
was  opened  in  BIngoveshcheiisk  in  1862  and  was 
provided  with  two  kind  of  type  containing  Russian 
and  jManchnrian  letters,  which  were  to  be  used  li)r 
the  publication  of  the  „Kriend  of  the  Manchns"  in 
both  languages.  At  the  present  tinu',  there  are  .S 
printing  ofllces  in  Blagoveslichensk,  two  of  them 
belong  to  private  individuals,  and  the  other  to  the 
chancery  of  the  military  governor. 

Manufactures  are  concentrated  in  Blagove.sh- 
chensk,  but  are  not  extensively  developed  for  want 
of  persons  with  a  technical  edncatioji  and  on  account 
of  the  attraction  exercised  upon  looal  capital  by  the 
goldmiiiing  industry.  The  town  line  includes  the  follo- 
wing works:  two  nuichinery  works  and  castiron  found- 
ries. (The  cast  iron  and  copper  foundries  and  the 
machinery  sho)is  of  Mrs.  Lvov  founded  in  1SK7, 
producing  from  (i.OOO  to  7,000  puds  of  various  goods, 
have  considerable  business;  the  otiier  works  belong  to 
Pershin).  Seven  tanneries  (among  them  the  most 
impiitanf  bidoni;;  to  t'in'irin  and  ('"..  Lnkin  mid  Linivin. 


THE  SHILKA-AMli;  WATERWAY. 


411 


Names    of  si-ttlc- 
iiii'iits  and  sta- 
tions. 


Distance 
from  Srctcnsk. 


Descriptinn  of  (lii>  M'ttli'nuMiN,   ^luliiins  :iih1   muli' 


Two  soap  boilcries  (Strug&lin  and  Clierkasliin), 
Three  bi-er-breworips.  Tiiree  steam  flonr-mills  (Tin- 
tokov.  .Vleksec'v  an-  tlie  most  important);  eadi  irrinds 
annunllv  aliovc   1()0.{MK)  puds  of  viirious  irrain. 

Tlircr  .saw-mills.  Two  rope-yards  lowned  liy  tlie 
Amur  Trade  and  ludnstry  C.  and  Clu'iriu).  Trade  is 
carried  on  liv  20  important  firms  and  in  l.'iO  shops 
with  a  turnover  of  It.  4.1  «X  1,001)  to  R.  (i,(KK),000 
annually.  Together  with  the  trade  of  which  Hlatrn- 
veshchensk  is  the  centre,  trade  with  Manchuria  is 
g:radually  developing-.  The  following  four  hanks  oper- 
atingr  in  the  town  meet  tlie  rc(|uirenients  of  the 
manufacturers:  State  Bank,  Public  liank.  Sil)erian 
Trade  Bank  and  Unssn-Chinese  Bank.  The  town  revenue 
and  expenditure  amount  to  II.  200.0IHI  annually. 
The  military  staff  and  two  sotnias  of  thi'  .Vinur 
Cossack  reg-iment,  the  2-d  and  4-th  active  batta- 
lions and  the  2-d  batteries  of  the  Ea.st  Siberian 
artillery  brigade  are  located  in  the  town,  which  al.sn 
contains  the  Department  for  the  Waterways  of  the 
Amfir  basin,  the  office  of  the  director  of  the  II  di- 
vi.siou  and  the  residence  of  the  manager  of  the  3-d 
section  in  the  II  division.  Public  club,  housed  in  a 
stone  bnihliug  opened  in  the  year  IKSi)  and  contain- 
ing a  hall  adapted  for  theatricals,  and  rooms  for 
the  accomodation  of  travellers.  Among  the  hotels, 
the  best  is  the  .Russia"  with  rooms  from  .io  k.  to 
R.  ;i  a  day.  The  hackney  coaches  ply  according  to 
tariff:  50  k.  an  hour  in  the  day  time,  and  7.')  k. 
from  10  in  the  evening.  I'pon  the  whole,  life  in 
Blagovi'shchensk  is  expensive,  the  cost  of  all  neces- 
sary articles  being  very  high.  For  the  assistance  of 
emigrants  and  pioneers,  a  station  with  barracks 
and  hospital  has  been  organised  in  Blairoveshchensk; 
supplies  are  offered  for  sale  under  the  control  ol 
the  ofllcial  entrusted  with  the  regulation  of  the 
emigration  movement,  residing  there.  Among  the 
historical  monuments  concerning  important  events 
which  took  place  in  the  region,  there  is  one  situa- 
ted 2*/a  versts  above  the  town  in  a  garden  on  the 
bank  of  the  Amur,  in  the  form  of  a  kind  of  small 
obeh.sk,  erected  in  18.5S  on  the  spot  where  the  ti'iit 
of  Count  Muravii'iV-Amursky  was  pitched  during  the 
expedition  of  1K.')4.  and  later  on  during  the  nego 
tiations  with  the  Chinese  preceding  the  conclusion 
of  the  Aigftu  treaty. 

The  chief  ornament  of  the  town  consists  in  a 
triumphal  arch  commemorating  an  important  histo- 
rical event,  and  erected  in  1S91  on  the  occasion  of 
the  visit  of  His  Imperial  .Majesty,  the  present  Emper- 
or Nicholas  II.  This  arch  stands  011  the  banks  of 
the  Amur.  His  Imperial  .Majesty  stayed  two  days  in 
Blagoveshchensk  and  visited  the  Public  Club,  where 
the  boy  and  girl  pupils  of  the  gyninasinins  gave  a 
concert.  On  the  following  day.  His  .Majesty  was  pre- 
sent at  the  parade  of  the  Blagoveshchensk  garrison 
and  at  the  races  of  the  first  division  of  the  Anifir 
regiment,  inspected  the  camp  pitched  on   the  banks 


412 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Names    nT  settle- 
niL'nts  and  sta- 
tions. 


;,  DistaiRT 
from  SnHcnsli. 


l)os(Ti[itioii  ol  tlir  scttlcniciits,  .stations  and  route. 


of  the  Anifir,  and  honoured  with  his  ^asit  the  offi- 
cers' barraclcs  of  thi'  .\im'ir  cavalry  n'giniciit.  Tlicii 
His  Majesty  loft  Blai;'0VPsliclii'iislv  in  order  to  pro- 
ceed further  up  the  Anifir  in  tlie  steamer  „Vestiiili  ". 

The  most  important  firms  are:  Rnnst  and  Alliers. 
Wholesale  and  retail  trade  of  foreign  and  Russian 
goods.  Cliurin  and  ('".,  silver  and  gold  articles, 
trinkets,  grocery  and  iron  wares.  Cellar  for  Rus- 
sian and  foreign  wine.  Yeltsov,  N.  V.  represent- 
ative of  the  Company  Yeltsov  and  Levashov.  gold 
mining'  and  navigation.  Ivoknvin.  M.  A.  firm  of  Ko- 
kovin  and  Basov.  tea  and  sugar.  Lukin  V.  M.  var- 
ious goods,  factories:  distillery,  brewery,  .saw-mill, 
flour-mill,  navigation  (Chief  office  in  Sretensk), 
Pershin,  gold  mining  industry,  machinery  works. 
Tetiuki"iv,  gold  mining  industry,  wheat  llour-niill. 
Emeri,  various  Russian  and  foreign  goods,  agricul- 
tural implements.  Borovkov,  agent  of  Gulikin  and 
A.  Kuznetsov.  Brodovikuv.  mine  manaa-er  of  tlie  Amur 
C".  Bailed,  general  manager  of  the  Ninnin  gold  mining 
industry.  Brothers  (iurikov,  copper  goods,  navigation  in 
the  Amfir  basin.  Kotelnikov.  trade  in  various  goods, 
navigation.  Larin.  gold  mining  industry  and  navigation. 
Oparin,  trade  in  various  goods,  gold  industry,  navigati- 
on Li-V'a-Chan.  Yun-Klio-Zan,  Chinese  and  Japanese 
goods.  Agents    of  Fire  Insurance  Society,  1827. 

I'etri'iv  of  the  Russian  Society,  Yefiinov  of  the 
Rcssia  Society.  Kloss  of  the  Anchor  Society.  Rnzh- 
itsky  of  the  Nadezhda  Society.  Mamontov  of  the 
St.  Petersburg  Society.  Brothers  Piiinkov  of  tlu' Rus- 
sian Goods  Transport  .Society.  Bank  agents:  Filatov. 
Khluserich,  agents  of   the    Yaroslav-Kostroma-Bank. 


Afier  its  junction  with  the  Zeya.  the  Amur 
assumes  a  southern  direction.  The  breadth  of  the 
river,  from  Blagoveshchensk  to  the  town  of  Aigi'tn 
and  even  to  the  settlement  of  Nizmennoe,  varies  from 
ll'2  to  2  versts,  widening  at  some  places  to  3  and 
5  versts.  Upon  its  junction  with  the  Zeya,  the  left 
bank  of  the  Amur  assumes  the  character  of  a  tree- 
less plain.  This  plain  aboumls  in  pasture  wastes  and 
hollows  intersected  by  branches  of  the  river  and 
valleys  extending  in  all  directions.  Copses  standing 
out  in  marked  lines  on  the  horizon  arc  met  with 
in  this  plain,  near  Manchurian  villag'es  always  sha- 
ded by  trees,  Masses  of  foliage  trees  cover  Ibi' slopes 
of  the  banks  and  the  islands,  presenting  a  mixture  oi 
willow,  blackberry,  wild  appb'.  Iiircli,  wild  ro.se,  cur- 
rant, at  souu'  places,  cork  tree  (Pliellodendron  aiuuren- 
si.s),  wild  vine  (Vitis  amurensisi,  and  nut  bushes. 

The  mountains  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Anifir, 
retiring  from  the  rivor  I'/a  verst  above  Hlagovi'sh- 
chensk,  extend  down  the  Amfir  for  a  distanci'  of 
7.5  versts,  and  then  somewhat  above  the  settlement 
of  Nizmennoe  touch  the  water's  edge,  forming  a 
high  and  rocky  wall  which  is  a  spur  of  the  llkliuri- 
Alin  ridge.  This  elevation  seems  to  be  cut  in  the  shape 


THE  SHII.KAAMIR  WATERWAY. 


413 


N.IIIH'S     111    ScUll.' 

incnts  and  sta- 
tions. 


Distance 
troiu  Sritensk. 


Dpscriiition  of   tin-  sottlenicnts,  stations  and  rontc 


of  a  comprcssod  cone.  Its  summit  commands  the  li'vd 
plain  of  the  Amur  spreading-  helow  like  an  open  nm|i. 

The  road  leading:  to  the  town  of  .Aigun  runs  lor 
a  distance  of  40  versts  ahove  the  valley  from 
the  Manchu  village  of  Sakhalin.  Ntanding'  opposite 
Blagoveshchensk.  Heyond  .Ugi'in  the  road  leaves  the 
Amur,  retiring  into  the  interior  of  Manchuria  to- 
wards Mergen  and  Tsit.sikar. 

From  the  mouth  of  the  Zeya  to  the  settlement  of 
Nizniennoe,  there  are  reckoned  to  he  alioul  .'id  islands. 
At  low  water,  there  are  manv    .-^hoals  near  them. 


Winter  anchorage  of  steamers  at  the  landing-place  in  Blagoveshchensk. 


Town  of  .  ligi'in. 


Villiii.''e  of  I'oyarkovo 
lldiises    10"). 
I'op.  -t04  m. 
4.^3  f. 


8-37 


1  !!)()  .\is:i'in.  town  of  .Manchuria   iji  the  Kliei-I,Nn-T.-i:iii 

prorince  (Manchu.  Sakhalinula-khoti'm)  is  situated  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  Amur.  Citadel,  residence  of 
the  Chinese  governor,  admiralty  department  of  the 
Ghine.se  fleet.  Hou.ses  (fanzasi  are  small,  one-storeyed 
and  built  of  bricks  and  clay,  with  straw  roofs.  The 
number  of  inhabitants  is  15,1  KK).  including  a  few 
hundred  Mohammedans,  who  have  their  own  mos(|iie 
and  .school.  The  chief  articles  of  .sale  are:  g^rain.  iiin.s- 
tard,  tobacco  and  oil.  The  Aigfin  treaty  was  conclndi'il 
in  this  town  on  the  6  .May  IBoK.  accnrdins.'  to  w  liich  tbe 
left  bank  of  the  upper  and  niiddb'  Amur,  and  lower 
down-both  banks  of  the  river,  became  the  properly 
of  Russia. 

1H'21         I  Large  Cossack  villag<'  founded   in   l^i.")^>.    Named 

in  honour  of  the  head-clerk  Vasili  I'oyarkov.  chief 
of  the  first  expedition  despatched  from  Yakfitsk 
the  Amur  in  l('i4;5.  Chnreb,  village  board,  post 
and  telegraph  office,  school  with  two  teachers,  grain 
stores,  3  shops  with  an  annual  business   amounting 


41- 


GUIDE  TO  TIIK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


XiimeS     lit'   Srttll'- 

nionts  and  stii- 
tions. 


Distance 
from  SlriHpiisk.l 


Doseriplion  of  tlii"  sctUcmenls,  .stations  and  roiile 


\  illagc  of  liinok('ntii'v- 

sl<a  ya 

Ilou.se.s  ')[. 

Pop.    1(14    Ml. 

i_4(»  i: 

304 


14:; 


Si'tll.  of  Paslikov.s]i  ., 
HoiLSo.s  23. 
Pop.    86  m. 
112  f. 


198 


1536V2 


to  alioiit  B.  150,000,  salt  depot,  military  ammunition 
stores,  residence  of  tlie  manager  of  the  4  section  in 
the  II  division  of  tlie  .Vnu'ir  basin  waterways.  This 
village  may  be  ranked  amonf  the  most  thriving  of 
the  Cossack  settlements.  In  its  course  to  the  village 
of  Poyarkovo,  the  Amur,  retaining  its  north-eastern 
direction,  forms  islands  on  liotb  sides  of  the  river, 
and  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  tiornaya  falling  in  on 
the  right,  12  versts  above  the  village,  there  is  a 
whole  group  of  islands. 

.Vfter  having  received  on  tlie  left  the  river  Za- 
vitaya,  4  versts  above  the  village,  the  Amur  separ- 
ates into  two  currents,  having  each  a  breadth  of 
400  sazhens.  The  left  current  further  on  is  divided 
into  two  beds,  thus  forming  an  island  2'  -'  versts 
long  and  l'V4  versts  wide.  The  island  formed  by 
the  two  chief  branches.  10  versts  in  length  and 
4'/2  versts  in  breadth  is  known  by  the  name  of  Po- 
Kidcuny.  Having  again  collected  its  waters  into  one 
channel  l-'4  versts  wide,  the  Amur  flows  east  anil 
then  S.  S.  W.  and  K.  S.  E. 

Large  Cossack  village  established  in  l.s58.  It 
received  its  name  in  honour  of  the  Archbishop  of 
the  Kamchatka  diocese,  later  on  the  Metropolitan  of 
Moscow.  Church  of  Christ's  Resurrection,  ainniuiii- 
tion  stores,  po.st  and  telegra]ih  office,  village  board, 
salt  depot.  Here  the  Amur  has  one  bed  iVa  ver-sts  in 
breadth.  Throughout  its  course,  between  tlie  months 
of  the  Bureya  and  the  Bir-Ara  or  Khara.  the  right 
bank  of  the  river  is  monntainons.  the  left  presents 
a  pasture  land  with  beautiful  meadows  endowed 
with  a  luxuriant  vegetation:  at  some  distance  from 
the  river,  the  banks  are  enlivened  by  groves  of  trees. 

Cossack  settlement  established  in  1857.  It  receiv- 
ed its  name  in  honour  of  the  Nerchinsk  voyeviida 
Athanasins  Pa.shkov.  who  ruled  the  Russian  domi- 
nions on  the  Amur  from  1005.  Chapel,  .school,  grain 
.stores,  post-station.  Leaving  the  .settlement,  the  Amur 
abruptly  turns  southwards  entering  the  Kaminfyii 
pass  and  making  its  way  through  the  valleys  and 
gorges  of  the  Little  Khiugan  ridge. 

At  a  distance  of  2V-j  versts  below  the  mouth  of 
the  Khingan  and  beyond  the  Pashkov  .settlement, 
the  spurs  of  the  mountains  come  up  clo.se  to  the 
Amur  which,  abrnplly  turning  to  the  south  and  even 
to  the  S.  S.  W.,  directs  its  current  between  the  so 
called  „shclieki"  or  cheeks  represented  by  the  rocky 
and  mountainous  banks.  The  mountains  are  clothed 
with  forests  which,  contain  conifera  such  as  fir, 
spruce  and  larch  Here  the  river  perceiitibly  narrows, 
to  a  breadth  of  2.'i(l  -  300  sazhen.s.  Following  a  S. 
S.  W.  direction,  the  Amur  reaches  its  right  tribu- 
tary the  Uya.  Half  way  of  this  distance,  the  steep 
and"  rocky  right  bank  contains  outcro[is  of  spar  and 
porphyry.   The  left  hank  is  wooded. 


THE  SHILKA  AMLR  WATERWAY- 


4i: 


Xnmes  of  settle- 
ments and  sta- 
tions. 


Distance 
lirora  Sretensk. 


Description  of  tlie  settlements,  stations  and  route. 


Settl.  of  Storozhevsky 
(Guard  post). 
Hon.ses  ti3. 
I'op    l.')2  ni. 
117  (_ 
■'lid 


l.-iflO 


II 


Vil.  of  Radde 

Houses    lOit. 
Pop.  272  ni. 
257  f. 


529 


Poinpeevka 


Villap'  of  Yekaterino- 

Xiknlsk 

Houses  2<>>. 

Pop.  ()()■)  m. 
5i)«)  r. 


ltil53/4 


lt)'J2' 


119.5 


Cossack  settlement  established  in  1859.  It  derivr. 
its  name  from  its  situation  near  the  former  Rhin^'an 
military  post,  which  served  ax  a  fuard  post.  Chapel, 
grain  stores,  post  station. 

Beyond  the  mouth  of  tho  I  ya.  the  .\mur  press- 
ing close  to  the  Shakhtii-Khada  mountain,  standing 
on  the  right  bank,  turns  suddenly  to  the  E.  S.  E. 
and  enters  the  Khiiigiin  pass.  The  Amur  breaks 
through  the.se  mountains,  making  alirnpt  bends  and 
sudden  changes  in  the  direction  of  its  course.  The 
water,  striking  violently  agaius  the  banks,  trans- 
forms them  into  steep  and  almost  vertical  walls. 
As  an  effect  of  it.-;  frei|uent  bends,  the  body  of  wa- 
ter seems  in  be  enclosed  in  a  stone  through  with 
walls  formed  by  the  rocky  slopes  of  the  banks.  Bare 
and  craggy  cliffs,  called  Siksiakhada  by  the  natives, 
rise  on  the  right.  Opposite  them  is  the  mouth  of  the 
Lagar,  which  is  an  important  triliutary  of  the  Amur. 

Prior  to  reaching  the  Lagar,  the  Amur  meets  a 
steep  mountain  spur  covered  with  scattered  stones, 
separating  the  Ilachka  spring  from  the  Lagar. 
From  the  mouth  of  the  Lagiir.  the  Amfir  turns 
abruptly  to  the  south  and  keeps  this  direction  for  a 
distance  of  11  versts.  On  the  left,  the  river  is  bound- 
ed by  vertical  fliffs.  At  the  seventli  verst  froni  the 
mouth  of  the  Lagar.  this  chain  of  cliffs  is  interrupted 
by  a  plateau  2to2'  2versts  wide,  bordered  by  mountain 
spurs  known  by  the  name  ol  Khochio. 

Large  Cossack  village  founded  in  185S.  Xanied 
in  honour  of  the  naturalist  Radde  who,  during 
the  year  1857,  was  occupied  in  scientific  investiga- 
tions near  this  place.  Church  in  honour  of  the  Holy 
Trinity,  school,  ammunition  .stores,  post  and  tele- 
graph office,  village  board,  grain  stores,  salt  depot.  4 
shops.  On  the  slope  of  the  mountain,  behind  the 
village,  a  chapel  has  been  erected  in  commemoration 
of  the  Emperor  Alexander  lis  miraculous  escape 
from  death  on  the  4  April,  1866.  Beyond  this  vill- 
age situated  on  a  plateau,  the  mountains  rise  again 
like  a  wall  on  the  left  bank:  the  Amur  here  flows 
with  an  extraordinary  velocity. 


Post  and  telegraph    office, 
now  abandoned. 


Co.s.sack    settlement 


Large  Cossack  rillage  founded  in  1858.  desig- 
nated by  the  name  and  patronymic  of  Countess  Cath- 
erine Xikolaevna  Muraviov-Aniursky.  Church  of  the 
Martyr  Saint  Catherine,  2  schools,  post  and  tele- 
graph office.  Meteoroloeical  station.  Village  board. 
.\mmnnition  stores,  crain  stores,  salt  depot.  3  shops. 
Residence  of  the  manscer  of  the  1  .section  in  the 
m  division  of  the  Amfir  basin  waterways.  Headi|nar- 
ters  of  the  .Vmi'ir  Cos.sack  division  staff. 

Tlie  village  extending  along  the  Amur  in  three 
parallel  streets  in  the  most  populous  and  prosperous 

26a. 


416 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RaILWAY. 


Names  of  settle- 
ments and  sta- 
tions. 

Distance 
from  Sretensk. 

Description  of  the  settlements,  stations  and  route. 

amone  the  villages   of  the  Amur  Cossack  troops,  a.- 
may  bee  seen    by   its  outward    appearance  and  lh>' 
material  welfare  of  the  inhabiiant.s. 

Dunne    the    establishment    of   the    village  were 
found  remains  of  ancient  fortincations  and  bulwarks 
A  Chinese  picket    is    posted  opposite   to  the  villasn' 
on  the  right  bank.  Here  the  Aiuiir  reaches  its  south- 
em  limit.' 47    42'  IS  N.  lat.,  and  changes  its  form- 
er  general    southern    and    S.  E.   direction,    turning 
eastwards  to  the  month  of  the  Sungari.  Ipon  leav- 
ing the  mountains,    the  Amur   is  Iwrdered   on  both 
sides  by  a  vast  and  level  plain,  resembling  a  steppe. 
at    some    points    dotted  with  copses,    consisting   of 
oak  and  elm. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Bc'  .f^^^^^K*                       ^^^^^^1 

Settl.ofBI 
House 

] 

igosloveuDoe 
s  158. 
?0f.  61.T  m. 
oTO  f. 
1194 

1 

1732 

1 

Viibge  of  Radds. 

Part  of  the  pasture    ^^leim-    lunns    an 
plain,  most  suitable    for    agriculture,    covoi 
thick  gras-s.  The  surface    of  the  river    is  t 
many  islands. 

Further  off  from  the  Kl\ingan.  frequent 
strips  of  alluvial  soil  brought  down  from  t 
of  the  river,  rising  to  a  height    of  several 
and  composed    of   soft    yellow    sand  with 
blue  and  yellow  clay. 

Somewhat    below  the   \illage.    the    Ami 
2  islands  a  verst  in  length,  and  flows  to  t 

Village  at  the  mouth  of  the  Samara,   fo 
1871   by  Koreans  emigrated  from    the    Son 
region.  Having  adopted  the  orthodox  faith, 
reans  have  retained  their  own  language,  th 
cal  customs  and  their  systems  of  agrioullui 
is    an   orthodox   church    of   St.   .VIexander 

iimneiise 
ed    with 
otted  by 

y    occur 

le  l«anks 

sazhens 

ayens  of 

IT    forms 
he   east. 

unded  in 
th-l'ssuri 

the  Ko- 
eir  typi- 
■e.  There 

.\e>-sky, 

TllK  SHII,K  A  AMIU   \V\Tlli\V\Y. 


417 


Naiiu's   of  settle 
nients  ami  sta- 
tions. 


Distance 
from  Srctoiisk 


Di'^criptioii  of  tiic  sutlleineiit;>,  stations  and  luuli- 


Mouth  ul  till'  Sung:ari. 
Si'ttl.  of  Mokbanko. . . 


Villacp  of  Mikhailovo- 
Somionovsk  .... 
Houses  '.'2. 

Pop.  ^M  m. 

655 


182e 
1830 


1855 


sehool,  grain  sfoR'.s.  post  station.  In  its  outward 
appearand",  this  village  differs  from  the  l{n.ssian 
settleuionts:  it  consists  of  little  hou.ses  (fanzas)  se- 
parated by  tracts  of  tilled  fields,  interseet.id  by 
streets  and  lanes.  The  fanzas  are  made  of  wattle' 
thickly  plastered  with  clay  within  and  without.  The 
sloping  roofs  made  of  straw  or  twies,  also  coated 
with  clay,  at  the  same  time  serve  as  ceilings.  Every 
fajiza  stands  in  the  middle  of  a  little  yard,  contain- 
ing tiny  huidings  kept  in  good  order  and  cleanli- 
ness The  fields  are  a.s  carfully  cultivated  as  gardens. 
Among  the  plants,  attention  is  mainly  directed  to 
the  cultivation  of  buda,  (in  Chinese,  chumidza,  Ko- 
rean millet),  then  wheat,  oats,  ajid  maize.  A  total 
of  13IIII  desiatins  is  allotted  to  the  use  of  the  .settle- 
ment, con,stitutiug  only  2''  I  desiatins  to  every  man. 
In  spite  of  these  comparatively  insignificant  allotnu'uts. 
the  Korean  population  enjoys  a  considerable  prosperity 
thanks  to  the  rational  cultivation  of  the  land. 


Settlement  by  Golds  on  th'  right  bank  of  Jhe 
Amur.  The  branches  meet  again  much  below  the 
junction  with  the  Sungari.  and  flowing  in  an  east- 
erly direction  forma  wide  expanse  of  about  12versts 
opposite  the  month  of  the  Sungari.  occupied  by 
islands,  consisting  of  alluvium  brought  down  by  the 
joint  efforts  of  the  two  rivers.  These  islands  are 
partly  bare,  and  partly  clothed  with  vegetation,  they 
have' their  own  a\es,  which  do  not  follow  the  cur- 
rent of  the  Amur,  but  lie  almost  across  the  river 
bed.  This  phenomenon  is  explained  by  the  more 
violent  tide  of  the  Sungari.  which  the  t'hinese  and 
Manchus  consider  to  be  the  main  branch  ol  the  Amur. 
In  any  ease,  the  right  branch,  to  wit  the  Sungari, 
is  more  abundant  in  water  and  brings  down  more 
alluvium,  whereas  the  left  branch  has  a  swifter  and 
longer  course.  The  water  of  the  Sungari  is  of  a 
dirty  and  turbid  colour  produced  by  very  fine  par- 
ticles of  clay.  Kor  a  long  time,  the  waters  of  both 
rivers  flow  together  niarked  by  a  great  difference  in 
colour  and  clearness,  till  the  Amur  gradually  over- 
whelmed by  the  force  of  the  turbid  current  loses  its 
original  transparency.  After  having  received  the  Sun- 
gari. the  main  current  of  (he  Amur  holds  its  conr.-i' 
to  tiie  N.  E.  and  flows  thus  to  the  village  of  Mi- 
khailovo-Semionovsk.  The  total  breadth  of  the  Amur 
with  the  islands  and.  the  numerous  branches,  at  some 
places  comes  up  to  12  vcrsts. 

Laree  Cossack  village  created  in  IK.iK  and  na- 
med in' honour  of  Michael  Semionovich  Korsjkov, 
then  manairer  of  the  fioatngc  and  founder  of  the 
village,  later  on  Oovernor-lieneral  of  Eastern  Siberia. 
The  village  contains  a  church  of  the  Archangel  Mi- 
chael, a  school  with  two  teachers,  a  village  board, 
grain  stores,  post  and  telegraph    olTiee.   snlt    depot. 


418 


GUIDE  TO  THK  fiRp:AT  SIHEUIAN    RAILWAY. 


Xami's    of  settk'- 
nients  and  sta- 
tions. 


Distancp 
from  Sretonsk. 


Ue.scription  ol  thi'  .settlcmcnls,  stations  and  route 


Settl.  of  Lusrovoi  . . . . 
Ilousps  '.). 

Pop.  42  m. 
40  f. 
82 

Settl.  of  Upper  Spassk 
Houses  2. 

Pop.     5  111. 
6  f. 


11 


Lower  S|)assk 

Houses  .3. 


Pop. 


.1  111. 
,s  f. 

1:5 


Town  of  Klial)ari')vsk 


1084 


2010 


2022 


20lif) 


3  shops.  Being  situated  iu  prnxiiuity  to  the  nioufh 
of  the  Sungari,  it  serves  as  a  trading  centre  lor  t)ie 
Chinese  who  forward  grain  to  this  point.  The  breiidth 
of  the  Amur  opposite  to  the  village  is  10'/^  versts. 
From  here  the  main  current  turns  to  the  east  and 
further  to  the  north-east,  receiving  on  the  right  the 
triliute  of  the  Baidzin.  On  the  right  hank  of  this  river 
are  steep  cliffs  forming  two  sloping  shelves  descending 
to  the  main  liranch  of  the  Amur.  The  lower  shelf  is 
covered  with  thick  grass,  climbing  plants  and  shrubs, 
the  upper  witli  a  dense  forest  of  foliage  and  llr  trees. 
The  summit  of  this  elevation  commands  a  beautiful  and 
far  reachinff  view.  From  the  mouth  of  the  Baidzliin, 
the  .imi'ir  turns  more  and  more  to  the  N.  N.  E.  The 
right  edge  of  the  valley  rises  here  straight  from 
the  water,  forming  either  slopes  clad  with  oak,  or 
inaccessible  almost  vertical  rocks.  The  first  are  called 
Mangatt,  the  latter   KenH. 


Cossack  settlement   established    in    IHhH. 
stores,  landing-place  for  timber,  post  station. 


Orain 


Cossack  hamlet  created  in  IH.oS.  Abandoned  by 
the  inhabitants  after  repealed  inundatinns.  Sleep 
cliffs  rise  op|iosite  to  the  Upper  Spassk  settlenu-nt 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ainfir  known  under  the 
name  of  Khorrokho:  they  are  intersected  by  passes 
and  little  streams  hurrying  to  join  the  Amur.  Maak 
was  astonished  by  the  lu.xuriant  vegetation  found  in 
the  damp  passes. 

Lower  down.  Cape  Kyrma  projects  into  the  riv- 
er bed.  From  here  the  chief  current  finds  its  way 
amidst  an  archipelago  of  islands. 

Cossack  hamlet  founded  in  IS.'iS.  Landing-place 
for  timber. 

Here  the  Amur  separates  into  two  branches,  of 
which  the  right  receives  the  Ussftri.  On  the  left 
bank  of  the  I'ssuri,  at  its  junction  with  the  Amur, 
stands  a  post,  marking  the  frontier  of  Russia  and 
China  and  the  evtreme  N.  E.  limit  of  the  Chinese 
Empire. 

Littoral  Territorv. 


The  Littoral  Territory. 


Geographical  position  and  area  of  the  territory.— Okh6tslc  and  Kamchatka  region.  —  Pe- 
ninsula of  Kamchatka.— Discoveries  of  the  Okh6tsk-Kamchdtka  expedition. — Gold  mines 
on  the  Okh6tsk  coast. — Chukch  land  and  its  exploration.  —  Komandbr  Islands.  —  Hydro- 
graphy.- Climate.— Flora. — Fauna.— Whale  and  seal  industry.— Population  (Chukch,  Ko- 
riik,  LarniJt,  Kamchadal,  Aleut  tribes).  —  Ussuri  and  Littoral  region. — Configuration  of 
the  surface. — Geological  structure  and  mineral  wealth.— Hydrography.— Gulf  of  Peter  the 
Great. — Navigation  on  the  Ussuri  and  its  basin.  — Qlimate. — Flora. — Fauna. — Colonisation 
and  settlement. — The  Ussuri  ossack  troops,  peasant  population,  natives:  Koreans,  Chi- 
nese, Golds,  Olchis,  Orochis). Industries. — (Agriculture. — Stock  raising. — Forestry. — Trapp- 
ing.— Hunting. — Fishing. — Sea-cabbage  industry. — Crayfish,  prawn  and  trepang  fishing). — 
Works  and  manufactories. — Trade  by  land  and  sea. — Future  importance  of  the  port  of 
Vladivostdk  as  terminus  of  the  Great  Siberian  transit  way. — Bibliography. 


HE   LITTORAL   territory  presents  the  farthest  eastern  border 
of  the  Russian  dominions  in  Asia.  It  occupies  the  eastern  coast- 
land  of  Siberia  between  42^  —  70'  X.  lat.  and  100"—  160°  E. 
lonz.  The  northern  limit  bordering  upon  the  Arctic  Ocean  lies 
within    the    northern    zone,    whereas   the  southern  part  be- 
longs  to   the   temperate  zone,    corresponding   to  the  northern 
portion  of  the  Caucasus.  Its  superficial  area  is   approximately 
estimated  at  33..t<U  square  geographical  miles.  Its  len.ath  from  south  to  north 
is  4,000  versts.  By  its  dimensions,  it  holds  the  third  place  among  the   Siber 
ian  governments,  being  surpassed  only  by  •  the  Yakiitsk  territory  and  the 
Yeniseisk  government,  and  is  equal  in  extent  to  Austria,  Germany,  Denmark 
and  France  taken  together.  According  to  its  configuration,  climate  and  gener- 
al nature,  this  territory  is  divided  into  two  well-marked  portions:  North   and 
South,  viz.  Okhotsk-Kamchatka  and  Ussuri-Littoral  region.  The  Okiiotsk-Kam- 
chdtka  region  covers  an  area  of  over  20,000  square  miles  and  geographically 
consists  of  the  narrow  north-western  coast  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea  (districts:  Udsk, 
Okhotsk,  Gizhiginsk).  of  the  peninsula  of  Kamchatka  (Peter  aud  Paul   district), 
the  Chukotsk  (or  Chukch)  land  and  the  islands  of  the  Okhotsk  and  Bering  Seas 
(districts:  Anadyr  and  ot  the  Komandur  Islands).  The  Stanoviii  ridge,  with  .in 


4-J()  GUIIIK  Tl)  TllK  (iUKAT  SiniCRlAX  RAILWAY. 

average  height  of  3,000  feet,  separates  the  (ikhotsk-Kamchf'itka  region  from 
the  Yakutsk  territory,  sending  out,  all  over  the  coast  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea, 
^purs  wiiich  al)ruptl,v  fall  in  steej)  cliffs  to  the  water. 

The  geological  formations  of  the  Okhotsk  coast  are  very  varicii,  containing 
crystalline  rocks  such  as  granite,  diorite,  porphyry,  syenite  and  laljrador,  and 
volcanic  rocks  represented  by  trachyte,  basalt  and  dolerite. 

The  Stanovoi  ridge  in  its  southern  part  is  in  iiarticular  endowed  witli  a 
great  variety  of  rocks. 

The  peninsula  of  Kamchatka  covi.'rs  an  area  of  23T,2ti6  square  versls,  and 
offers  considerably  elevated  points;  it  is  traversed  from  X.  to  S.  by  the  Cen- 
tral Kamchatka  ridge,  whose  northern  portion  consists  of  tertiary  sandstone 
and  volcanic  rocks,  whereas  the  southern  part  is  formed  of  crystalline  slate, 
granite,  syenite  and  porphyry.  A  series  of  active  and  extinct  volcanoes  occur 
along  the  eastern  coast  of  the  peninsula,  stretching  parallel  to  the  Central 
ridge.  This  ring  of  tire  includes  12  active  and  about  30  extinct  volcanoes. 
Among  the  active  volcanoes,  the  Kliuchevskaya  Sopka  is  the  highest,  rising 
to  an  altitude  of  16,000  feet  above  sea-level.  This  giant,  which  is  the  highest 
active  volcano  of  the  Old  World,  is  surrounded  by  several  rows  of  terraces 
and  lower  summits  whicli  seem  to  serve  as  a  pedestal  to  the  gigantic  moun- 
tain, which  at  its  base  has  a  circumference  of  about  300  versts.  The  summit 
of  the  sopka,  cracked  on  all  sides,  is  always  smoking  and  throws  out  stone 
fragments  and  ashes  twice  or  thrice  a  year,  spreading  volcanic  dust  for  a 
great  distance  round.  The  next  in  size  among  the  active  volcanoes  are  the 
Krestovsky  and  Sivelii'ich,  rising  to  an  altitude  of  11,000  feet.  Among  the  ex- 
tinct volcanoes,  the  highest  is  the  Ichinsk  sopka,  10,900  feet  liigh,  constituting 
the  culminating  point  of  the  peninsula. 

According  to  the  data  collected  by  Dilmar  and  Ernian  in  1S29,  the  geo- 
logical structure  of  Kamchatka  at  the  places  of  juxtaposition  of  the  old  cry- 
stalline rocks  with  the  sedimentary  formations,  point  to  the  auriferous  nature 
of  the  peninsula.  Later  on,  in  1S94,  the  Transbaikal  expedition,  which  explored 
the  coast  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea  and  the  Shantar  Islands,  ascertained  the 
presence  of  gold  throughout  the  Udsk  region,  from  the  river  Togiir  to  port 
Ayan  and  the  ShantAr  Islands. 

These  data  served  as  an  inducement  to  organise  a  special  Okhotsk-Kam- 
chatka expedition,  despatched  in  1895  for  three  years  in  order  to  conduct 
surveys  and  pros|iectings  for  .gold  and  other  minerals  along  the  coast  of  the 
Okhotsk  Sea.  on  the  Shantar  mountains  and  Kamchatka. 

The  work  done  by  the  expedition  demonstrated  the  presence  of  gold  at 
many  places  on  the  coast  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea,  containing  a  proportion  of  3  to 
10  zolotni'ks  of  gold  to  100  puds  of  .gravel.  Rich  deposits  of  coal  of  good 
quality  have  been  found  near  Gizliigin  Bay.  Tlie  exploration  of  Kamch;itka 
was  connected  with  the  observation  of  the  volcanoes,  and  the  discovery  of 
glaciers,  and  led  to  the  ascertainment  of  C(ial-fii4ds  and  gold  on  the  up]iei- 
waters  of  the  Oglukamennaya. 

According  to  the  data  obtained  in  1898,  the  iMinistry  of  Agriculture  and 
State  Domains  admitted  the  private  exploitation  of  the  following  districts 
according  to  the  authorised  rules:  1)  part  of  the  Okhotsk  coast  and  the 
adjoining  localities  comprising  the  left  tributaries  of  the  Udd,  with  the  ex- 
ce))tion  of  the  Yana  or  Dzhana  system,  and  all  the  rivers  flowing  into  the 
Okhotsk  Sea,  commencing  with  the  river  Ulkan,  on  the  northeast  to  the  riv- 
er Siglin,    south  of  the  Obi.    to'i;etber  with  thi>  Shant:ir  Islands:  2)    the    area 


THE    I.ITTOUAL  TKUKITiiKY.  421 

•  bounded  by  the  river  system  of  Maiiuasyn  ami  Ala  and  by  the  coast    of   the 
Okhotsk  Sea.  stretching  between  the  mouths  of  both  rivers. 

Among  other  minerals  found  in  Kamchatka,  there  are  native  copper, 
magnetic  iron-ore.  native  sulphur  and  amber.  Some  peculiar  properties  of 
the  geological  structure  account  for  the  number  of  hot  springs,  occurring 
throughout  the  peninsula,  mainly  in  connexion  with  volcanic  rocks. 

The  Chukotsk  or  I'enezhnev  Peninsula,  mainly  occupied  by  the  basin 
of  the  river  .Vnadyr,  constitutes  the  extreme  northern  limit  of  Asia,  parted 
from  America  l)y  Bering  Strait.  It  is  much  indented  with  fiords. 

The  Anadyr  country,  within  recent  years,  has  been  carefully  explored  by 
.v.  L.  Gondatti.  well  known  by  his  scientific  expeditions.  Presenting  in  its 
northern  part  a  continuous  tundra  intersected  by  numerous  rivers,  only  the 
region  in  the  south  up  the  .Vnadyr  is  covered  with  dwarf  trees. 

The  Komandor  Islands  lie.  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Kamchatka,  in  the 
Bering  Sea;  they  rise  to  a  considerable  altitude,  consisting  of  volcanic  rocks, 
and  comprise  two  large  islands  called  Bering  and  Medny.  and  two  smaller 
imes  .\ri-l\amen  and  Toporkov.  These  islands,  inhaidted  l)y  .Meiits.  are  uni- 
versally known  for  their  seal  and  other  fisheries.  The  whole  of  the  eastern 
coast  of  the  territory  bounded,  north  o*  the  Anuir  basin,  by  the  Okhotsk, 
Kamchatka  and  Bering  Seas  and  by  Bering  Strait,  has  a  great  number  of 
gulfs  and  bays  of  vai-ious  forms  of  which  the  most  important  are:  the  L'lban. 
Tuiriirsk  and  [\\:'i  gulfs,  the  Penzhinsk.  Gizhigin  and  Taussa  bays  in  the 
(»khotsk  Sea.  the  gulfs  of  .\nadyr  and  of  the  Holy  Cross  in  the  Bering  Sea. 
and  the  .\vachin  Hay  in  the  Kamchatka  Sea.  with  a  beautiful  harbour,  where 
the  Peter  and  Paul  port  is  situated. 

.Umost  all  the  rivers  in  this  region  drain  into  the  basin  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  The  I'da.  having  a  total  length  of  over  V(K)versts  and  a  breadth  vary- 
intr  from  1'2  to  2  versts.  Hows  into  the  southern  part  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea. 
The  bed  of  the  river  is  rocky  and  contains  a  .great  number  of  sandbanks. 
Further  the  principal  rivers  are:  the  Okhota  (400  versts),  the  K6va(.^(X)  versts). 
the  PiMizhina  {.'W  versts).  .\mong  the  rivers,  the  most  extensive  is  the  Ana- 
dyr, falliuir  into  the  .\nadyr  Gulf  and  having  a  length  of  l.OSO  versts.  Its  bed 
is  very  tortuous,  being  contained  by  high  mountains  and  cliffs:  it  aliounds  in 
fish.  The  only  important  i-iver  on  the  peninsula  of  Kamcluitka  is  the  Kam- 
chatka, 470  versts  long.  It  is  navigable  throughout  its  course,  exceptin.s:  the 
head  waters,  and  flows  through  a  plain  which,  on  account  of  its  fertility,  has 
attracts  a  considerable  part  of  the  population,  settled  along  the  river.  This 
reginn  abounds  in  lakes,  situated  mainly  in  its  southern  plains,  in  the  .\mur 
basin. 

The  climatic  conditiims  of  the  greater  portion  of  the  Okhotsk-Kauichiitka 
region  are  very  unfavourable.  The  Okhotsk  Sea,  'although  not  reaching  as 
far  north  as  the  Baltic,  has  the  nature  of  an  arctic  sea.  .\t  the  most  southern 
ports  of  I'dsk  and  .\yan  (under  .i4°  'M'  and  .'iti'  27'  X.  lat.)  the  mean  annu- 
al temperature  is  — 4'^;  in  <Jkhotsk,  situated  under  .'jVH  20'  X.  lat..  the  mean 
aimual  tempei-ature  is  still  lower  (—5).  This  severe  climate,  with  a  mean 
temperature  which  during  the  period  of  vegetation  lasting  .')  months  is  -|-M' 
to  -|-12^  in  Okhotsk  and  .\yan.  renders  the  development  of  agriculture  utterly 
impossible.  The  extreme  austerity  of  the  climate  is  due  to  the  northern 
ocean  currents  and  to  the  accumulation  of  great  masses  of  ice,  g.-ithering 
mainly  in  the  southern  i>art  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea.  near  the  Shant.-ir  Islands 
and  in  the.Vnu'ir  liman.The  prevailing  fogs  and  monsoon>;  have  .-ilsn  a  mai-k- 


42"^  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  RIBERIAX  RAILWAY. 

ed  effect  upon  the  conlinii-  of  the  alnii)s])hcri'.  (inly  on  tlie  castrrn  cdast  of 
l\ani''liatl<a.  Ixuindi'd  l).v  thr  waters  of  tlie  mure  (ii)en  Herintr  Sea.  ami  in  the 
river  valleys  of  the  peninsula  protected  by  iiioLintains,  the  mean  annual  temp- 
erature rises  to  -f2.4\  in  the  Peter  and  l^aul  port,  where  the  mean  annual 
temperature  is  +2.2'.  in  tlie  winter  the  temjierature  is— 8.2°,  in  spring— O^", 
in  .summer  +10^^  and  in  autumn.— 4.6°. 

The  flora  of  the  Okhotsk-Kamchatka  region  is  pooi'ly  provided  with 
species.  The  southern  forms  of  the  leafy  forests,  abounding  in  the  valley  of 
the  Amur,  give  place  to  tir-trees;  as  the  mountains  a])proach  the  coast  of  the 
Okhotsk  Sea.  the  limits  of  the  forest  zone  retire  lower  down,  and  the  side  of 
the  mountains  turned  towards  the  sea  and  their  summits  are  almost  utterly 
devoid  of  vegetation.  In  close  proximity  to  the  arctic  Okhotsk  Sea.  the  forests 
assume  the  character  of  the  dwarf  iiolar  vegetation.  The  tree  species  are 
represented  here  chiefly  by  larch,  Siberian  ..cedar"  or  pine,  birch,  poplar  and 
ash  with  an  addition  of  shrubs  such  as  clematis,  wild-rose  and  honeysuckle. 
The  herbaceous  vegetation,  although  containing  a  small  number  of  species,  is 
very  luxuriant,  thanks  to  the  abundant  moisture:  the  grass  gmws  sometimes 
higher  than  a  man  and  consists  mainly  of  species  of  umbellifers.  lilies  and 
iris.  At  some  places,  it  attains  a  height  of  over  2  arshins  and  sometimes 
yields  three  crops  of  hay  during  the  summer. 

The  fauna  of  the  whole  of  the  north-western  coast  of  the  Okhotsk  Sea 
in  no  way  differs  from  that  of  Siberia,  but  in  Kamchatka  it  partly  assumes 
the  character  of  the  island  fauna,  which  manifests  itself  l\v  the  absence  of 
several  animals  such  as  squirrel,  elk  and  others,  characteristic  of  the  adjoin- 
ing part  of  the  Siberian  continent.  The  aquatic  fauna  is  far  more  important, 
especially  because  the  fauna  of  the  arctic  seas  was  never  met  with  so  far  ] 
south  as  in  the  Bering  and  Okhotsk  Seas,  where  animals  and  fish  are  brought 
down  from  the  Arctic  Ocean  by  the  sea-current  and  the  ice. 

The  extent  of  the  coast  of  the  Okhc'itsk-Kamchatka  region,  bounded  by  the 
Okhotsk-Kamchatka  and  Bering  Seas  and  by  the  Bering  Strait,  is  11,000  versts 
The  Okhotsk  Sea,  locked  in  between  the  coast  of  the  Asiatic  continent  and 
the  peninsula  of  Kamchatka,  is  characterised  by  quite  peculiar  climatic  con- 
ditions. In  spite  of  its  geographical  position  within  the  moderate  zone  (be- 
tween 44°  and  02°  X.  lat.),  it  possesses  the  typical  properties  of  a  polar  sea 
like  Hudson's  Bay,  under  the  effect  of  sea-currents  filling  its  waters, 
mainly  the  southern  portion,  with  drifting  ice,  which  jiartly  obstructs  the 
entrance  from  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Moreover,  this  sea  is  characterised  by  the 
abundance  of  its  flora  and  fauna.  A  great  number  of  aquatic  plants,  mollusks 
and  fish,  and  in  particular  shoals  of  keta  (Salmo  logocephalus)  and  malma 
(Salmo  callaris)  serve  to  attract  the  large  nuimmals  fmni  the  .\rctic  Ocean. 
These  polar  mamnuils  are  represented  by  six  forms  of  seal  (Phoca),  two 
dolphins  (Phocaena  orca,  Delphinapteros  leucas).  and  three  species  of  whale 
(Balaenoptera  rostrata,  borealis,  longimanat. 

On  this  eastern  borderland,  which  as  yet  is  not  sufTiciently  protected  by 
the  Government,  whale-fishing  has  l)een  carried  on  for  a  long  time  in  a 
rapacious  fashion  mainly  by  American  smugglers,  who  demoralise  the  nat- 
ives of  the  coast  and  islands,  the  Chukches  and  Aleuts,  by  furnishing  them . 
with  brandy.  The  whale-fishing  carried  on  by  American  schooners  has  been* 
partictilarly  extensive  from  1S47.  Whole  fleets  of  schooners  leave  New  Bed- 
ford and.  according  to  tlie  testimony  of  the  .\merican  ship-owners,  the  blub- 
ber and  whale  Imne  expurled  li\  them  during  a  period  of  14  years  (from  1S47 


THE  UTTORAl,  TERRITORY.  4-2,{ 

to  istll)  ,•1111  on II toil  in  vnliio  to  i:!0.i!On.(XH»  ilollnrs.  This  robluTy  iiiiich  ivdiicotl 
tho  iiuiiiIxT  of  wiialos  in  the  Okiuitsk  Sea  and  paitly  dispiTst'd  tiicni.  At  tlu' 
tinio  the  Aineiicans  started  their  operations  on  the  Okhotsk  Sea.  a  Riisso- 
Finnish  whale  company  was  or.i;anised  in  Finland:  it  did  well  at  the  begin- 
ninir.  but  the  further  development  of  this  industry  was  hindered  by  the 
Anirlo-Freneh  war.  Havinir  lor  a  time  dropped  whale-tishinir.  the  Americans 
in  isss  todk  it  up  airain  in  tlie  Beriiiir  and  Okhotsk  Seas.  Accordinir  to  in- 
formation annually  imlilished  in  the  Whalers  Shipping  List,  New  Bedford, 
and  in  other  publications  devoted  to  the  same  subject,  it  maybe  supposed  that 
the  forcisrn  whalers  export  annually,  from  the  Pacific  coast  of  Siberia,  from 
im.iKKl  to  l.iO.iHMl  pounds  of  whalebone,  about  UK).(KX>  puds  of  blubber. 
ItKi.UKi  pounds  of  walrus  teeth  and  other  products  ot'  this  kind.  This  industiy. 
with  a  value  of  H.  l..500,oiX)  annually,  escapes  regular  control  beina;  constantly 
carried  on  by  smusr.sling. 

As  stated  by  doctor  Sliunin,  who  studied  on  the  spot  the  conditions  of 
this  industry  in  the  Far  East,  the  success  of  whale-fishing  depends  on  the 
exact  knowledge  of  the  time  of  the  migration  of  the  whales  and  their 
appearance  on  the  coasts,  always  connected  with  the  movements  of  the  fish 
and  of  the  small  sea-animals.  It  has  been  observed  that  this  industry  is 
pursued  mainly  from  the  Bay  of  St.  Olga  throughout  the  coast  to  southern 
Korea,  .\pril  and  May  are  the  best  season  for  whalefishing  on  the  south  of 
Sakhalin,  June  and  July  are  preferable  in  the  Okhotsk  Sea.  near  the  Shantar 
Islands  as  far  as  Okhotsk;  this  time  is  also  chosen  for  the  same  purpose  on 
the  eastern  coast  of  Kamchatka.  From  the  middle  of  June,  the  whalers  pass 
to  Fenzhin  Bay.  As  rightly  remarked  by  Dr.  Sliunin,  the  organisation  of  a 
regular  fishery  and  whale  industry  must  be  preceded  by  the  establishment 
of  zoological  stations  in  the  waters  of  the  Far  East. 

Russian  whale-fishing  restarted  in  1S77  by  retired  Captain  l»ydyniov. 
with  the  material  assistance  of  the  Government  and  the  support  of  the  Grand 
Duke  .\lexander  Mikhailovich.came  to  an  end  in  1892  when  Dydyiiiow  perish- 
ed with  all  his  crew. 

In  1S94.  whale-fishing  was  again  started  by  .Midshipman  ('ounl  Kei- 
serling.  who  received  a  subsidy  from  the  Government  and  the  right  of  free 
fishery  near  the  Siberian  coast.  Having  purchased  in  Norway  a  steamer  and 
two  sailing  schooners  specially  adapted  for  whale-fishing.  Count  Keiserling 
established  a  factory  in  East  Bay  for  boiling  blubber  and  cleaning  the  whale- 
bone. This  industry  is  also  carried  on  in  Pacific  waters  by  the  Russian  firm 
ot  0.  V.  Lindholm. 

Lying  within  more  northern  latitudes  (between  52'^  and  64^  X.  lat.)  the 
Bering  Sea.  separated  from  the  Pacific  Ocean  only  by  a  series  of  islands, 
presents  the  type  of  an  open  oceanic  sea,  with  a  more  maritime  climate 
than  the  Okhotsk  Sea.  The  northern  side  of  this  sea,  traversed  by  the  polar 
circle,  lies  in  winter  under  a  cover  of  ice,  whereas  in  the  southern  jiart. 
with  a  mean  annual  temperature  of  -|-3.  that  of  the  coldest  month  is  st>me- 
what  below  zero  and  that  of  the  hottest  month  -j-7\  These  climatic  condi- 
tions account  for  the  total  absence  of  arboreal  vegetation  on  the  islands  of 
the  Bering  Sea,  and  for  the  impossibility  of  carrying  on  agriculture  not  only 
on  the  islands,  but  throughout  the  coast. 

This  sea  l)eing  abundantly  jirovided  with  flora,  mollusks,  crustaceans  and 
fish  was  always  in  great  favour  with  the  sea-animals  which  still  resort  there 
in  shoals. 


424  UUIDE  TO  THIC  OKKAT  SIBERIAN'  HMLWAY. 

The  Bfi'ing  Sea  alimmiis  |>i'ini-i|iall,\"  in  seals  (dttaria  ursiiia),  whicli  are 
the  iiljject  of  an  extensive  industi'v. 

After  the  discovery  of  thi'  l'rili\lov  and  .ivnuiandi'ir  Islands,  sea  fishin?; 
was  not  suhjected  to  an\ control,  and  llie  animals  wore  killed  irrespective  of 
SOX  and  a.sro. 

.\  regular  of,<;anisation  of  the  seal  indnstry  was  intro<luced  in  179s  hy  a 
Riisso-American  comi)any.  sanctioned  hy  the  (iovernnient.  The  privileire 
tciven  to  this  company  la.sted  to  the  year  IStiS;  during  the  time  it  was  in 
force,  upwards  of  2,5(X),0(X1  seals  were  killed.  In  1871.  the  seal  fishin.g  was 
again  leased  for  a  space  of  20  years  to  the  .Vlaska  trading  (,'onipany  of 
Hutchinson,  Cool,  Philipjieus  and  ('".  hnring  a  period  of  20  years,  the  com- 
pany obtained  on  the  Russian  islands  of  the  Bering  Sea  over  760,(KHI  seals. 
By  an  order,  confirmed  by  the  Committee  of  .Ministers  on  the  21  L)ecemher, 
lS9(t,  the  seal  fishing  in  the  Far  East  was  again  leased  for  ten  years  to  the 
Russian  Seal  Fishin.g  Company  organised  by  (iriinwald,  Lepeshkin,  Pruzo- 
rov  and  Savich.  The  rapacious  extermination  of  seals  in  the  Russian  waters, 
by  the  Anglo-American  schooners  pursuing  them  on  the  sealing  ground, 
served  as  an  induciMuent  to  the  promulgation  of  a  law  in  1893,  forbidding 
the  killing  and  taking  of  seals  on  the  water,  and  allowing  it  only  on  land 
and  that  with  the  permission  of  the  Government  according  to  a  special  reg- 
ulation. The  infringement  of  the  rules  is  punished  by  imprisonment  lastin.g 
from  2  months  to  a  year  and  '>  months;  at  the  same  time,  the  fishing  tackle, 
the  catch  and  the  vessels  used  for  it  with  freight  and  all  are  confiscated. 
Cruisers  now  guard  the  seals  from  the  rapacity  of  forei.trn  schooners. 

Within  the  last  few  years,  about  .-30,000  seals  have  been  taken  annually. 

Another  animal  which  is  valuable  to  industry  is  the  sea-otter  (Knhydris 
lutris).  Some  years  ago.  a  great  number  of  them  were  taken  in  Kamchatka, 
but  again  the  rapacious  mode  of  fishery  has  frightened  off  tiiese  timid  ani- 
mals. Now  they  have  only  two  refuges:  one  between  the  capes  of  Kam- 
chatka and  Stolbovoi,  the  other  at  the  Yellow  Cape.  The  other  nmmmals 
occurring  in  the  Beriii.g  Sea  are  the  same  as  in  that  of  Okhotsk. 

Some  fish  species,  such  as  herring,  cod,  and  gwiniad,  ajipeai'  iieriodi- 
cally  in  innumerable  shoals    near  the  islands  and  coasts    of  the  Bering  Sea. 

With  a  view  to  exploit  the  ichthyt)logical  wealth  of  the  waters  bounding 
i\amch;itka.    the  Russian    Seal  Company  at    the    beginning  of   the  year    1899 
a|)plied  for  the  permission    to   erect  a  tinning  establishment    in  tlie   town  o 
l'etro|)avlovsk  in  Taria  Bay. 

.\s  a  consequence  of  the  unfavouralde  climate,  the  Okhotsk-Kamclnitka 
region  [lossesses  a  scant.\'  population  which,  by  the  census  of  1897,  was  given 
at  r)l,:).5t)  (28,845  males,  22,711  females);  this  country,  not  bein.g  tit  for  agri- 
culture and  colonisation,  is  mainly  inhabited  by  native  tribes  (.'W,984)  repi-e- 
sentin.g  its  aborigenal  populaticm  and  comprising  wandering  Chi'ikches,  Koriaks, 
Lamiits,  Kamchadals,  Aleiits  and  Yakiits,  getting  their  livelihood  by  fishing, 
trajiping  and  jiartly  by  rearing  reindeer.  The  number  of  Russians,  including 
mainly  peasants,  citizens  of  the  lower  class  and  Cossacks,  is  14,572. 

The  I'ssuri-Littoral  re.gion  comprises  the  whole  south  of  the  .\nuir  terri- 
tory, extendin.g  on  iioth  sides  of  the  lower  Amiir,  bounded  on  the  north  by 
the  basin  of  the  Uda,  on  the  west  by  the  basinof  the  Ussi'n-i  and  on  the  south- 
east by  the.  .Sea  of  Japan. 

Within  these  limits,  the  region  occupies  upwards  of  I2,(XX)  geographical 
miles  (districts:  of  Khab.irovsk.  I'ssiiri-Kazjichi.  South-lssiiri  and  part  of  the 


r 
1' 


LITTilKAL  TKKKITOHY.  -|-25 

IMsk  district).  Tin- northern  part  ofthis  country,  iyinir  noiih  of  th,'  Amur,  is 
i-overcti  with  mountain  ran.iros.  hranchini:  oft'  from  the  Sumovoi  riduc  uiiiior 
the  name  of  Dzhuicdyr.  Tiiosc  mountains,  risiuir  to  an  avera.iio  hciulii  nl 
2.()00  feet,  send  out  si)urs  all  over  the  basin  uf  the  I'da.  irivin-r  it  a  hilly  and 
-swampy  character.  The  mountain  ran.w  leaving'  the  southern  1  »zluiirdyr  i^roup. 
known  under  the  name  of  Makhtel.  stretches  eastwards  to  tiie  Okhotsk  Sea, 
fallinir  in  a  steeji  line  to  the  coast,  whereas  its  slojiin,!;  branches  enter  into 
the  river  valleys  of  the  .Vmur  tributaries.  This  mountain  ran.i^e  is  desiiinated 
l>y  ditl'erent  names,  according  to  the  locality  it  covers  with  its  spurs.  The 
branch  extending  from  the  eastern  slojies  of  the  Little  Kliing.-in.  forming  the 
watershed  (d'  the  rivers  (ioryn  and  .\ingun.  is  the  Vanda  fidge,  running  east 
and  gradually  passing  into  the  Chaltyn  ridge,  which  covers  the  country  lying 
on  the  lower  waters  of  these  rivers.  The  Dayan  range  stretches  between 
the  rivers  Kur  and  (ioryn. 

The  southern  part  of  the  region,  throughout  its  entire  i^xtent,  is  traversed 
by  the  low  and  thi<'kly  wooded  ridge  of  .sjkhoti'  .Min,  running  nearly  parallel 
to  the  coast  of  the  Sea  of  .la|)an  and  seiiarating  the  narrow  sea-coast  from 
the  Ussiiri  basin  The  height  of  the  Sikhote  Alin  is  not  .great:  in  some  passes, 
it  varies  from  1.270  to  2.370  feet,  whereas  its  culminatinir  point,  the  Camel  m- 
Khuntiimi,  rises  to  an  elevation  of  3,ti(io  feet. 

The  geological  structure  and  mineral  wealth  of  the  I'ssuri-l.iltoi'al  region 
are  not  as  yet  sufficiently  exi)lored.  In  the  locality  lying  to  the  left  id'  the 
.Viiuir  basin  in  the  so  called  Udsk  district,  which  is  covered  by  the  spurs  of 
the  Stanovoi  ridge,  the  rocks  characterising, the  geological  formation  of  the 
southern  part  of  this  ridge  predominate.  The  mineral  wealth  (d'  the  Udsk  re- 
gion is  illustrated  by  the  auriferous  land  on  the  .\nigun  system,  I'xjdoited  a 
long  time  since  as  the  most  important,  (iold-miidug  industry  was  started 
there  in  1.S72. 

The  i)rincii)al  way  connecting  the  mines  with  c<'ntres  of  population  is 
the  Amgiin,  by  which  all  sujiplies  and  articles  are  forwarded  from  .\iko- 
laevsk  b.v  means  of  steamers  to  the  mining  stores  situated  at  a  distance  of 
4a()  versts  along  the  river.  In  winter  the  communication  of  the  mines  with 
the  town  of  .Xikolaevsk  is  exclusively  mainl.iined  l>y  means  of  sledges  di-a\\  n 
by  dogs,  in  consecjuence  of  the  great  nuisses  of  snow  attaining  a  depth  of 
over  a  sazhen.  As  regards  gold-mining  operations  and  the  organisation  of 
the  mines,  the  principal  <'ompanies  are:  the  Amgi'in  Com|)an\,  obtaining  from 
:-J(i  to  tio  |)uds  annuall.N  and  the  Yeltsov  and  Levashiiv  Coniiiany.  having  from 
:M)  to  4o  puds  Iter  annum.  The  gravel  is  conveyed  to  the  washing  ap|iar;itus 
and  brought  away  by  means  of  mechanical  appliances.  The  goUI-washing 
machines  are  made  on  the  barrel-system,  worked  by  an  engine  which  also 
serves  to  propel  the  dynamos  producinir  electi'ic  lighting  for  the  buildinirs 
belonging  to  the  mines. 

The  mines  of  the  .\mgun  Company  are  lu-ovideil  with  a  <'hiu'ch,  hospital. 
library  containin.g  the  works  of  Russian  authors  and  new  magazines,  billiard 
room  and  a  magic  lantern  for  the  workmen.  There  is  not  one  school  in  this 
.group  of  mines.  The  workmen  are  mainly  represented  by  jieasants  hired 
at  Blagoveshchensk.  The  annual  wages  of  a  woi-kman  amounts  to  H.  l,7o<). 
In  l,S!is.  the  .\mgiin  mines  were  worked  by  14  ,i;old-mining  companies.  The 
total  iuinii)er  of  emi)loyees  and  workmen  at  the  mines  was  -i.uM  (Chinese 
318,  Koreans  498,  Yakiits  78).  For  the  conveyance  of  goods  and  workmen,  the 
companies  disposed  id'  (i  steamers  and  10  barges,  (iold  mines  have  also  been 


42(; 


GCIDE  TO  THK  GKEAT  SlIiERIAN   IIAII.WAY. 


discovcriHl  in  tli:i  li;isiii  ni  tin-  ['i\:\.  alniiiC  the  cuasl  (i]i|iiisili'  I  he  Shaiitai" 
Islands,  close  to  the  sea-coast  and  nni'ili  of  ihc  tnwn  of  Nikoliievsk:  they 
occur  on  the  rivers  risliii;;  on  the  Mevuch;'in  ridge,  ail  the  l)eds  being  charac- 
terised by  a  considerable  extent  and  richness. 

Tiio  north  Ussi'iri  region,  which  had  been  explored  by  jirivate  geolou'ical 
ex|i('ditioiis  conducted  by  Maak  (bS.W),  l)y  Basnin  (18(il))  and  Kngini'er  Iv/uiov 
(lsy;5),  only  recently,  upon  the  construction  of  the  railway,  became  the  ol)ject 
of  a  more  careful  investigation.  The  works  of  tlie  mining  engineers  Batse- 
vich  and  Ivanov  illustrate  the  geological  structure  of  the  greater  portion  of 
the  country. 

The  following  rocks  occiu'  in  the  ui)per  basin  of  the  Ussuri:  granit(\ 
syenite,  gneiss  and  granite,  slate,  diabase,  quartz  and  (piartzless  porphyry 
and  breccia,  marbhi-like  limestone  and  basalt.  This  section  does  not  con- 
tain any  valuable  rocks.  Practical  use  is  found  for  limestone,  employed 
for  revetting,  and  for  kaolin  clay,  used  to  coat  walls  and  ceilings.  Consi- 
derable areas,  with  symptoms  indicating  the  presence  of  iron-ores,  have  been 
found  in  the  basins  of  the  rivers  Iman  and  Bikin,  right  tributaries  of 
the  Ussuri;  well  ascertained  is  the  presence  of  gold  in  the  Arum,  Tinzii-khe 
(„tinza",  gold),  and  Alchan  valleys,  where  the  local  Orochens  and  Manzas 
have  long  since  obtained  gold  in  a  wasteful  manner  The  mineral  wealth  of 
the  South-Ussuri  region  is  much  better  explored.  The  first  find  worked  was 
the  coal-pit  in  Possiet  Bay  which,  between  1859  and  1878,  supplied  the  war- 
ships with  coal.  The  coal-seam  lies  here  close  to  the  sea  and,  falling  ab- 
ruptly, continues  at  the  bottom  of  Expedition  Bay:  when  the  coal  was  worked 
to  the  level  of  the  sea.  the  .shafts  filled  with  water  and  exploitation  thus 
came  to  an  end.  Other  coal  deposits  have  been  discovered  on  the  rivers 
Seuanka,  Mongugaya  and  Ambabir,  but  they  are  particularly  numerous  on 
the  coast  of  the  Amur  Gulf,  in  its  northern  portion,  viz,  from  the  Peschi'inaya 
Bay,  on  both  sides  of  the  Suifun  and  throughout  the  coast  of  the  Gulf  to 
Uglovilya  Bay.  All  these  deposits  contain  brown  coal.  The  best  coal-bed, 
St.  Macarius,  of  importance  for  the  railway,  was  discovered  in  1894  by  Engi- 
neer Gurlov;  it  lies  in  proximity  to  the  railway  line,  22  versts  from  the  town 
of  Vladivost(>k.  This  coal,  worked  by  a  Dutch  joint  stock  company,  occurs  in 
small  i)ieces,  containing  an  admixture  of  earth.  The  South-Ussiiri  mining 
expedition,  under  the  direction  of  the  geologist  Ivanov,  ascertained  that  the 
field  of  brown-coal  comprised  not  only  the  Amur  Gulf,  but  also  the  Russian 
Island,  the  peninsula  of  .Muraviov-Amursky  and  the  whole  of  the  eastern  coast 
of  the  Ussuri  Gulf.  Smithy  coal  was  found  by  the  expedition  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  Suifun,  opposite  Nikolaevsk;  more  extensive  beds  were  discovered 
on  the  Suchiin,  falling  into  America  Gulf.  The  expedition  ascertained  three 
coal-seams  with  a  depth  of  V2  to  1  sazhen  and  a  considerable  extent. 
According  to  the  analysis,  this  coal  presents  a  kind  of  semi-anthracite 
ressembling  ^^'elsll  coal.  In  this  locality,  the  supply  of  coal  caiialile  of 
exploitation  is  estimated  at  .500,0i)0,(K)O  ])uds.  .A  more  careful  investigation  of 
the  seams  will  certainly  raise  this  figure.  The  mining  expedition  only  hur- 
riedly examined  the  eastern  portion  of  the  South  Ussuri  region,  and  it  may 
be  that  rich  deposits  of  miniM-al  fuel  will  lie  discovered  in  the  valleys  of  the 
I'ivers  falling  into  Lake  Khaid<a.  tlic  I'ssuri  and  the  sea  .'\  railway  has  been 
constructed  to  Nakluklka  Bay.  loi-  ibe  exploitation  of  ilie  Suchan  coal,  and 
a  landingjilace  serves  for  the  direct  transport  of  coal  fi'om  the  waggons  to 
the  ships. 


THE  LITTOKAI.  TKRKITORY.  427 

Iron-ores  occur  along  the  sea-coast  in  the  Olga  district,  and  altiiough, 
up  to  tile  present  time,  init  a  relatively  small  number  of  beds  have  been 
indicated,  the  abundance  of  them  is  evidenced  by  a  fact,  which  lias  l)een 
observed  l)y  all  shi|i-ca])tains  navi«;atin,ii-  near  the  coast  from  Cape  I'ovn- 
rotny  northwai'ds  to  I'lastun  Gulf  and  further  on.  whicli  consists  in  the  in-e- 
gular  deviation  of  the  compass,  explained  by  the  attraction  exercised  liy  ilie 
irreat  mass   of  iron  embedded  in  the  Sikhoti-  .\lin    mountains.   Tliis  niini'r.il 

weMJih  promises  a  profitable  export  to  Japan,  wliich  stands  in  n I  nt  ir,,ii, 

and  to  China,  also  oflerins;  a  good  market 

Silver  and  lead  mines  exist  at  many  i)laces  on  the  coast:  near  'I'ransfi- 
guratinn  Bay,  where  ore  is  raised  by  Mi-.  Traubenberir;  on  the  bank  of  the 
Vaizin;  within  80  versts  from  St.  Olga  Bay.  where  the  ore  is  woi-ked  by 
Messrs  Cooper  and  Galetsky. 

Beds  of  copper-ore  were  discovered  near  the  station  of  Konstanti'novskaya 
in  the  valley  of  the  Suifun. 

.Auriferous  areas  were  found  on  Askold  Island,  lying  in  St.  Peter  Bay. 
within  .')(>  versts  to  the  south-east  of  Vladivostok  and  0  versts  from  the  coast 
iif  the  continent. 

All  the  data  obtained  point  to  the  future  develo]>ment  i>f  mining  industry 
in  this  rich  country. 

The  eastern  and  south-eastern  herder  of  the  region  tlu'eunhont  its  extent 
is  l)ounded  by  the  Sea  of  Japan  and  by  Tartary  or  Xevelskoi  Strait,  forming 
numerous  harbours  and  bays  available  for  the  anchorage  of  ships.  The  most 
convenient  are:  the  Gulfs  of  Peter  the  Great,  St.  Olga,  St.  Vladimir.  Plastun 
and  the  Imperial  and  de  Castrl  Bays. 

The  Gulf  of  Peter  the  Great,  having  a  length  of  17.')  versts  from  Cape 
Povorotny  to  the  mouth  of  the  Tumen  L'la  and  a  breadth  of  80  versts,  is  pro- 
vided with  a  number  of  small  gulfs,  bays  and  harbours  and  contains  an 
archipelago  of  islands  abounding  in  monoliths,  rocks  and  stones.  Among  the 
gulfs,  the  principal  in  respect  to  their  size  are:  America  Gulf  with  Nakhodka 
Bay  at  the  eastern  side  near  Povorotny.  Eastern,  Strelok.  I'ssiiri  aud  Amur 
Gulfs.  The  latter  are  both  formed  by  the  peninsula  of  Muravi6v-.\miirsky 
and  Russian  and  Rynda  Islands,  projecting  from  north  to  south.  Russian  Is- 
land is  separated  from  the  continent  by  Eastern  Bosphorus  Strait,  having  a 
breadth  of  1  to  IV2  versts  and  a  depth  of  17  to  20  sazhens  .\mong  the  bays 
formed  by  the  strait,  the  best  lies  on  the  west,  extending  far  into  the  penins- 
ula of  Muraviov-Amursky,  and  bearing  the  name  of  the  Golden  Horn.  This  bay 
is  about  2  sea-miles  long,  from  1  to  1'  2  miles  wide  and  from  5  to  10  sazhens 
deep.  Its  northern  side  forms  the  extensive  and  sheltered  basin  of  Port  Vla- 
divostok. Among  islands,  the  most  important  are:  Putiatin  opposite  to  Stre- 
lok Strait,  and  Askold,  lying  south-west  of  Putiatin. 

The  (lulf  of  Peter  the  Great  was  discovered  in  1M.')2  by  the  French  corvet 
^Capricieuse"  under  the  command  of  Captain  Rocmorel,  who  named  it  Golfe 
d'Anville:  in  \Hr>5,  English  warships,  having  reached  the  central  part  of  the 
gulf  near  Askold  Island,  gave  it  the  name  of  Victoria  Bay.  Only  one  vessel 
of  the  English  s(juadron,  the  .Winchester",  penetrated  as  far  as  the  Bay  of 
Vladivost(')k,  and  inserted  it  for  the  first  time  on  the  map  uniler  the  name  of 
Poi-t  .May:  the  peninsula  on  which  the  town  now  stands  was  named  in  hon- 
our of  Prince  Albert.  More  careful!  explorations  of  the  Gulf  were  made  in 
1R59  by  the  corvet  „America''  and  the  clipper  ^Strelok",  when  it  received  its 
name  in  honour  of  Peter  the  Great. 


4'2S  <5UII)K  TO  THK  GREAT  smERlAX  RAILWAY. 

Among  the  sinalliM'  l)a.vs  of  lliis  iiiuiienso  sea  ilcprossidii.  ilio,  iiicist  iiii- 
portant  is  Pos.siet  Buy  lying  .soutli.  Tliis  iiay  consists  of  three  parts:  I'allada 
roads,  rei)resentin!i;  its  outward  side,  Xovirorod  and  Expedition  Bay.  Kxpedi- 
tion  Bay  has  a  lenijth  of  10  versts;  at  some  phiees,  it  widens  to  a  l)i-eadtii  of 
10  versts  and  has  a  depth  of  5  sazhens;  Novgorod  Bay  extends  for  a  distance 
of  1 1  versts,  with  a  breadth  of  1  to  4V2  vei-sts  and  a  depth  of  about  ti  sazhens, 
and  is  more  convenient  for  the  anchorage  of  ships.  This  bay  was  discovertnl 
in  1854  i)y  Vice-Amiral  Prince  Putiatin.  and  explored  in  is.')9  by  the  si|uadron 
of  Count  .Muraviov-Anu'irsky.  (iovernor-tieneral  of  Siberia. 

The  Gulf  of  Peter  the  Great  remains  free  of  ice  all  the  year  round  at 
some  distance  from  the  shore,  but  the  small  bays  on  the  coast,  from  the 
beginning  of  December,  are  <'overed  with  an  ice-crust,  which  lasts  to  the  end 
of  .March". 

The  Ussuri-Littoral  region  is  plentifully  provided  with  rivers  belomiing 
to  the  Amiir  basin  and  to  the  basins  of  the  Sea  of  Japan  and  the  Tartary  Strait. 

The  Amur,  from  its  junction  with  the  Ussuri  to  the  sea,  flows  through 
the  territory  from  south-west  to  north-east  for  a  distance  of  9(i()  versts.  It 
receives  here  the  rivers  Kur.  Dondon.  Mylka,  Goryn.  Amgun  and  others.  Tlie 
unfavourable  climate  jirevailing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Amiir,  which  during  0 
months,  from  the  beginning  of  November  to  the  beginning  of  May,  keeps  the 
river  frost-bound  near  the  Port  of  Xikolaevsk,  is  the  principal  reason  which 
hinders  the  establishment  of  a  port  at  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  most  extens- 
ive rivers  of  Asiatic  Russia.  The  chief  water -wa>  in  this  region  is  the 
L'ssi'iri.  a  right  affluent  of  the  Amur;  the  Chines(\  Manchus  and  natives  call 
it  L'zuli,  Vusulikhe,  Ima-khuze  and  Utsykayan.  It  is  formed  by  tlie  junction 
of  the  Daubi-khe  and  I'la-khe,  rising  in  the  branches  of  tiie  Sikhote  Alin.  The 
general  direction  of  the  Ussi'iri  is  almost  that  of  the  meridian  from  south  to 
north,  along  the  western  frontier  of  the  Littoral  territory;  only  the  right  l)ank 
lies  within  the  confines  of  the  territory,  while  the  left  is  under  Chinese  dom- 
inion. The  total  length  of  the  river  is  about  .s.50  versts,  with  a  lu-eadth  of 
50  sazhens  to  2  versts. 

On  the  left,  the  Ussuri  receives  the  Sungach  (outflow  of  Laki-  Khankai, 
Inian.  Bikin,  and  Khor;  on  the  right:  the  Muren,  Sikhulin  and  .Nor.  Un  its 
upper  waters  predouiinate  plains  with  wide  meadows  and  swampy  lowlands: 
the  locality  generally  abounds  in  mountains,  which  occur  ntostly  between  the 
miiuth  of  the  Muren  and  upwards  of  Bikin  and  approach  the  river,  falling 
sometimes  in  steej)  cliffs  to  the  water's  edge.  On  its  lower  reaches,  there  are 
again  ])Iains,  although  the  Khekhtsyr  ridge  rises  on  the  right  bank,  at  a  di- 
stance of  abimt  .50  versts.  On  account  of  its  natural  wealth  and  relatively 
good  climate,  the  I'ssiiri  plain  is  well  adapted  for  colonisation.  However,  these 
favourable  conditions  are  reduced  to  nil  by  the  periodical  floods,  during  which 
the  water  rises  5  sazhens  above  its  ordinary  level.  The  Ussiiri  is  navigabh' 
for  a  distance  of  700  versts,  the  only  impediment  consisting  in  bars,  which 
Imwever  appear  only  during  low-water  in  summer. 

The  river  freezes  at  the  beginnini;  of  .Xoveuiber  and  breaks  up  in  the 
middle  (if  .\pril.  Previous  to  the  opening  of  traffic  011  the  I'ssiiri  railway,  the 
river  L'ssiiri  with  the  Sungach  and  Lake  Khanka  afforded  the  only  means  of 
communication  between  Khabarovsk  and  Vladivostok.  This  route  consisted  nf 
the  following  stages:  steamer  from.  Khabarovsk  to  the  Kamen  Rybalov  on 
Lake  Ktiiinka:  |iost-roa<l  betwecm  Kamen  Rybalov  and  the  village  of  Razdtdnoe 
i<n  the  Suiftin:  steau\i'r  aloiii;-  the    riviM'    and   sea-going    steamers    anchoring 


I 


LITTORAL  TKKRITORY. 


■i-iu 


hoyciiid  till"  liar:  sti\imors  troin  the  bars  of  Suifiin  to  Vladivostok.  Thus.  Ilir 
Joiirnoy  Iroin  Khal)ar6vsk  to  Vhulivostok  was  acconiplishod  in  7  lo   in   ila.\s 

The  steamers  now  plyina:  on  the  Ussuri  belong  to  the  Amur  Shi])  ami 
Trade  ronipany  and  to  the  Amur  Steamship  Conii)any.  The  lirst  carries  on 
ie?ruhir  mail  and  passena;er  traffie  hetween  Im.in  ami  Khal)ar()vsk  (once  in 
:!  days)  and  to  ivamen  Ryltah'iv  (once  a  month).  The  second  convi\\s  passeng- 
ers anil  goods  without  any  fixed  dates  of  departure  and  arrival.  Hesides 
the  Crown  vessels  of  the  Xmiir  fleet,  belongin.g  to  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of 
Communication,  others  belonging  to  the  Amur  and  Ussuri  ("ossack  fleet  navi- 
gate on  the  waters  of  the  Ussuri  (3  steamers  and  2  barges). 

.Vs  regards  the  rivers  flowing  into  the  Rastern  Ocean,  they  all  take  their 
I'ise  in  the  eastern  slojies  of  the  Sikhoto  .\lin;  they  are  not  large  and  upon 
the  whole  are  not  suitable  for  navigation,  having  mostly  a  stee|)  fall  and 
containing  rocks  and  bars.  Among  all  these  rivers,  some  attention  is  due  to 
the  Suifun,  flowing  along  the  south-eastern  corner  of  the  South-Ussuri  region. 
This  river  rises  in  Manchuria  and,  holding  its  course  first  to  the  east  and 
further  to  the  south-east,  falls  into  the  .\miir  (iulf.  It  is  practicable  for  small 
steamers  for  a  distance  of  60  versts  from  its  mouth.  The  \all('\-  of  the  river 


Valley  of  the  Suifun  (phot,  by  Matskivich). 


widens  only  at  its  lower  part,  offering  an  expanse  suitable  for  coldnisaiidii; 
many  Russian  and  Korean  settlements  are  established  there.  At  the  lower 
part  of  the  valley,  mainly  on  the  left  bank,  occur  remains  of  old  ciitreiich- 
ments  with  bulwarks  and  ditches. 

.\mong  the  lakes,  the  Kizi  and  Kh;inka  are  remarkable  on  account  of 
their  dimensions.  The  first  lies  in  the  north-eastern  portion  of  the  country, 
in  proximity  to  the  Anuir,  being  united  with  it  by  a  branch.  The  siiperlicial 
area  of  this  lake  is  •'}«>  sipiare  versts.  The  other  lake  is  situated  on  the  south- 
west at  the  Chinese  frontier:  it  is  80  versts  long  and  tio  vc>rsts  wide  witli  an 


430  GUmii  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERI.W    i;.\ILW,\Y. 

area  of  :<,:i;iO  s(|uari>  ver.sts.  Tho  Sungach  servos  as  an  outtlnw  to  tho  lako 
and  falls  into  tho  I'ssuri. 

The  climate  of  the  Ussiiri-Littoral  region  is  far  from  being  as  mild  as  is 
generally  the  case  in  a  littoral  counti'y.  The  mean  annual  temperature  at 
Nikolaevsk  is  —  2.7°  C,  at  Khabarovsk  +  0.()°  C.  at  St.  Olga  Bay  -f  4.2°  C.  and 
at  Vladivostok -I"  4.5'^  C.  being  much  inferior  to  the  mean  temperature  of  the 
parts  lying  within  corresponding  latitudes  on  the  continent  of  European 
Russia.  Upon  the  whole,  the  annual  temperature  of  this  region  is  4°  to  7^ 
lower  than  that  of  corresponding  zones  in  Europe. 

This  low  annual  temperature  is  the  result  of  the  chilly  summer  but 
mainly  of  the  great  cold  in  winter.  The  mean  annual  temperatures  of  the 
seasons  are  as  follows: 


Niliolaevslv. 

Kli;it)ari>vsl\. 

St.  OIgn  Bay. 

Vladivostdlt. 

Winter 

-  19.0 

—  21.9 

—  10.(i 

-  12.0 

Spring 

—    4.2 

—    1.4 

+    3.5 

+   3.7 

Summer 

i-  15.3 

+  20.1 

-1   17.2 

+  18.2 

Autumn 

—    0.7 

+-   2.8 

+   6.6 

+    7.9 

The  severity  of  the  climate  is  due  to  the  effect  of  the  northern  current, 
flowing  past  tlie  coast  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Sea  of  Japan,  to  the  sea 
winds  prevailing  in  spring  and  summer  bringing  much  moisture,  to  the  pro- 
perties of  the  virgin  soil  and  to  the  immense  areas  of  taiga.  However,  the 
mean  annual  temperature  during  the  5  months'period  of  vegetation,  which 
from  Khabarovsk  to  Vladivostok  is  + 16°,  may  be  considered  as  favourable 
enough  for  agriculture  and  for  the  growth  of  a  luxuriant  flora.  The  S.  E. 
winds  prevailing  in  spring  and  summer  bring  to  the  region  abundant  evapo- 
rations from  the  sea,  accounting  for  the  moisture  in  the  atmosphere,  which 
is  mostly  felt  on  the  coastland  of  Sikhote  Alfn,  where  dense  fogs  occurring 
sometimes  from  March  to  the  end  of  July,  greatly  retard  the  growth  of  corn. 
The  N.  W.  winds  blowing  in  winter  produce  on  the  contrary  a  dry  air.  In 
connexion  with  the  prevailing  winds,  a  great  mass  of  moisture  falls  in  July 
and  August,  the  winter  is  generally  snowless  and  severe,  alnujst  without 
intervals  of  thaws.  Spl'ing  comes  late.  The  first  snow  generally  falls  in  the 
middle  of  October,  somewhat  earlier  in  the  mountains. 

Tho  water  freezes  and  is  free  of  ice  at  the  following  dates:  At  Vladivo- 
st(ik,  the  Bay  of  the  Golden  Horn  freezes  on  the  2  or  3  December  and  breaks 
up  on  the  25  or  26  March;  St.  Olga  Bay  is  frost-bound  at  the  beginning  of 
Xovember  and  becomes  free  of  ice  at  the  beginning  of  April.  The  Ussuri.  in 
its  upper  waters,  freezes  at  the  end  of  Xovember  and  breaks  up  at  the  be- 
ginning of  April;  in  its  lower  part,  at  the  Cossack  village  of  Kazakevich,  it 
sets  on  the  8  or  9  November  and  thaws  on  the  8  April.  The  Amiir  at  Kha- 
barovsk is  frost-bound  from  the  10—11  Xovember  to  the  11—12  April. 

The  flora  of  the  Ussuri-T/ittoral  region  is  very  varied  in  its  forms,  includ- 
ing the  greater  part  of  the  characteristic  and  peculiar  plants  of  the  Amiir 
territory. 

The  vegetation  is  strong  and  luxuriant. 

The  forest  .jungle,  herbs  and  shrubs,  at  some  places,  attain  an  extraordi- 
nary heiirht  and  density,  containing  forms  i)roper  to  the  Amiir,  north-eastern 
.\sia,  Kamchatka,  Xortli  .\merica  and  to  the  wariuer  climes  of  Japan  and 
China.  Species  peculiar  to  the  north  and  the  s.iutli  arc  here  found    mingled: 


THli  I.IITiiR.M.  TERRITORY.  431 

tluis.  Mr  tivcs  hiinsr  with  wild  vino  with  small  sour  berries  (Cissus  huniili- 
t'olia)  and  elm;  cork-Mve  and  walnut  oci-ur  side  by  side  with  i)in(>  and  cedar. 
.Vniong  the  herbs,  HO  species  have  been  Iniind  in  this  region  whi.'h  do  not 
occur  in  the  Amur  territory:  many  of  tiiem  are  common  to  norihern  diina. 
•Japan  and  .Vmerica. 

Strictly  local  plants  found  in  the  I'ssuri  rei^ion  form  17  sjiecies  with  an 
essentially  southern  character.  They  include  leguminous  plants,  such  as  the 
climbing'  Glycine  ussuriensis:  of  the  exotic  forms:  the  Pontederaiceae,  a  fine 
marsh  plant,  the  Monochoria  Korsakowii,  the  Eriocaulacea— the  Ericaulon 
ussuriense;  among  the  ferns,  the  subtropical  Pleopeltis  ussuriensis,  and  the 
famous  zhen-shen  or  chinzeng  (Ja|)anese  Xin-si)  Panax  irienzen.i;,  having  an 
atnber-coloured  I'oot  containing  starch  and  resembling  a  kind  of  carrot;  it  is 
considered  by  the  Chinese  as  a  panacea,  cai)able  of  restoring  lost  strength 
and  even  of  prolonging  life. 

On  the  northern  side  of  the  country,  the  tlora  changes:  the  luxuriant 
vegetation  of  the  southern  zone  vanishes  little  by  little,  giving  place  to  the 
local  flora  which  is  much  poorei-  in  species.  Beyond  the  junction  of  the  Go- 
ryn  with  the  Amiir.  northwards  the  scantiness  of  the  northern  flora  becomes 
more  and  more  apparent. 

The  fauna  like  the  flora  contains  forms,  which  occur  botli  in  the  north 
of  Asia  and  in  the  southern  countries  of  the  continent.  The  following  animals 
occur  here  on  the  same  territory:  sable  (Mustellu  zibellina),  elk  (Cervus  al- 
oes), tiger  (Felis  tigris),  antilope  lAntilopa  crispa).  .\eral  or  Himalaya  marten 
(Mustella  tlavigula)  and  ibis  ilbis  nipon).  With  the  e.xception  of  the  spotted 
deer  (Cervus  axis), plentifully  represented  on'the  coast  of  the  Sea  of  Japan 
and  near  the  source  of  the  Ussiiri.  a  few  rodents  and  the  fish  of  the  Jainin 
Sea,  the  fauna  of  the  Ussiiri-Littoral  country  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Amur 
country.  But,  upon  comparing  the  two  fauna.s,  it  becomes  evident  that  the 
southern  animals,  inhabiting  in  great  number  the  Ussuri  basin,  are  met  with 
more  rarely  within  range  of  the  Ami'ir,  whereas  some  of  the  northern  species 
decrease  visibly  within  the  Ussi'iri  region,  and  some  of  them,  as  for  instance 
the  elk  (Cervus  aloes),  do  not  occur  further  south.  As  in  the  northern  taiga, 
clouds  of  all  kinds  of  insects— gnats,  thrips.  gadflies  etc..  mainly  un  the  U.s- 
siiri  and  the  Suugach,  are  a  real  plague  to  the  country  and  present  a  serious 
impediment  to  colonisation. 

The  population  of  the  Littoral  territory  is  given  by  the  census  ofbSiiT  as 
22.%;M(i  (1.52,061  males,  71.275  females)  including  50,722  town  inhabitants 
(41.142  males.  iUKo  females). 

The  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  projier  L'ssiiri-l.ittoral  region  (districts 
of  Khabarovsk.  South-l'ssuri  and  Ussuri)  is  estimated  at  171.7HO  (123.21(5  ma- 
les, 4.s.5()4  females).  Thus,  the  territory  appears  to  be  very  thinly  settled,  and 
in  this  respect  holds  one  of  the  last  places  among  the  Siberian  governments 
and  territories;  only  the  southern  portion  of  the  l'ssiiri-l.ittoral  territory  is 
better  provided,  surpa.ssing  the  adjoining  Amur  territory  in  the  number  of 
its  inhabitants.  The  i)redoniiiiance  of  males  over  females  affects  unfavourably 
the  economic  life  of  the  population,  as  also  does  the  comparatively  great 
percentage  of  the  consuming  town  population.  The  ethnographical  division 
of  the  Ussiiri-Littoral  region  is  very  varied.  Besides  Russians,  forming   here 

i72  per  cent  of  the  total  population,  the  country  contains  Koreans.  Chinese, 
Japanese.  Europeans.  Americans  and  finally  10  per  cent  of  natives,  the  wander- 
ing  aborigenes   of   the   region,  belonging   to   the  Tungus   and  Giliak  tribes. 


432 


OriDE  TO  TlIK  GrtEAT  SIBEHIAiN   RAILWAY. 


I'liiir  Id  llic  aniu'xatiiiii  nf  the  Aiiiiir  rciriiui  t"  K'lissia.  ilic  l-'ar  |-]asl  ami 
its  coast  represented  ii  desert,  wliere  one  met  wanderinj;  and  half-wild  na- 
tives and  Chinese  f'lig-itives.  pao-tiii-tzy  or  man/as,  who  had  tied  from  tiie 
severity  of  Chinese  Justice,  and  ueeupied  themselves  mainly  with  the  rapaeions 
exploitation  of  the  natural  treasures  of  the  country  and  of  its  native  inha,l)it- 
ants.  The  settlement  of  the  Ussi'iri-Littoral  region  was  started  in  18^5,  when 
the  first  party  of  setthM's  was  forwarded  td  tli(^  Inwer  Amur  under  the  super- 
visiiui  (d'  Prince  M.  S.  Yolkonsky. 

In  18riS,  hegan  the  settlement  of  the  lower  part  of  the  L'ssuri.  However, 
th(>  cohmisation  of  th(>  Littoral  territory  jirogressed  very  slowly,  chiefly  on 
account  of  the  difl'iculties  attending  the  ](mg  journey  from  Russia.  In  1882, 
the  Council  of  the  Hmpire  resolved,  with  th(-  authorisation    of   the   f^mperor, 


Manzas  hewing  stones  {phot,  by  Matskevich). 

to  make  a  trial  diii-ing  three  years,  and  transport  every  year  from  Odessa 
abmit  2.')(i  families  at  the  cost  of  the  (iovernment,  having  assigned  R.  Hl.'i.fXXI 
per  annum  for  this  purpose.  The  emigration  movement  became  more  rapid 
and,  during  a  period  of  three  years,  .'ST  settlements  wei'e  estahlished  in  the 
South-Ussiiri  region. 

After  this  tonipoi'ary  trial,  the  emigration  movement  continued  its  pro- 
gress, accordinii  to  the  rules  of  the  2iiMai-ch.  lS(il.  established  for  emigration 
tn  the  Ami'u'  and  Littoral  territories. 

With  a  vi(>w  to  assist  the  settlers  and  to  establish  them  w'ifhout  delay 
in  the  new  localities,  the  C<nnmitte(>  for  the  Coustrtiction  of  the  Siberian 
Railway  appoinli'd  |;  '.i.'i.ihki  for  the  (■(uisti-iictioii  of  waian  barracks  loi'  the 
emiiirants  and  d<'spatclii'd  survey  |)arties,  putting  them  at  the  disposal  (d' 
the  South-rssuri  Immigration  Hoard.  For  the  assigned  money,  eleven  warm 
barracks  have  b(>eu  built    at    \'la<ii\ostrik.    two    of    whiidi    are    provided  with 


I 


THE  LITTORAL  TERRITORY. 


433 


accnmnrlation  for  tlie  sick  emiy;raiits.  Biuracks  were  also  eslal)lisheil  in  Xi- 
kolsk,  on  the  Siichan  and  in  the  settlement  of  Vladi'mir-Alexandrovsk.  The 
survey  parties,  working  within  range  of  the  railway,  explored  many  sections 
of  land  from  an  agricultural  standpoint  in  order  to  tbrm  new  settlements 
.ind  farms.  The  Lssiiri  valley,  occujiied  by  Cossack  settlements,  was  also 
subjected  to  investigation  in  ISiis.  with  a  view  to  ascertain  the  possibility  of 


Korean  workmen  employed  on  the  railway  (phot,  by  Matskevich). 


further  colonisation,  llnw  far  the  emigraiidii  movement  to  the  Sruith-Ussiiri 
r.'gion  has  increased  within  the  last  few  years,  is  evidenced  l>y  the  statistics 
for  the  emigrated  families. 

In  189.5,  2.i.i  families  (1,70.3  members)  arrived  by  sea;  in  18ii8,  the  steamers 
of  the  Volunteer  Fleet  transported  .578  families  (3.520  members)  In  1898.  the 
Committee  for  the  Construction  of  the  Siberian  Railway  conferred  the  right 
of  emigration  to  the  .Vniiir  region  on  Ugro-Russians  and  Galicians  living  in 
.\.merica.  providing  them  with  land  on  the  same  terms   as    Russian   settlers. 

In  order  to  satisfy  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  Russian  population,  6  church- 
es have  been  built  in  the  South-Ussiiri  region  from  money  given  by  the  Min- 
istry of  the  Interior,  and  tho  following  erections  have  been  undertaken  at 
the  cost  of  the  Emperor  .Vlexander  III  fund:  church  schools  in  himour  of 
Our  Lady  of  Kazan  in  the  settlement  of  Ivunarovka.  in  commemoration 
of  the  happy  deliverance  of  the  Grand  luichess  Xenia  .\leks:indrovna;  in  the 
settlement  of  Graf.skoe.  a  church  of  .St.  Thcodor  Tiron;  in  the  settlement  of 
Khvalynka,  church  of  St.  Andrew  Pervozvanny;  in  the  settlements  of  Kro- 
povets.  Grodekovka  and  Aleksandrovsk,  churches  are  in  course  of  construct- 
ion; in  the  first,  it  is  consecrated  to  St.  Xicholas  the  Miracle-worker,  umi  in 
the  second  to  the  .\ssumption  of  the  Holy  Viririn. 

The  Russian  population  in  the  South-L'ssiiri  region  settled  iiiainl.\'  in 
the  valleys  of  the  rivers  Suifiin,  Lefi'i,  Suchan  and  of  Lake  Khanka,  along 
the  right  banks  of  the  Ussi'iri,  Sungach  and  near  St.  Olga's  Bay. 


434 


GUIDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Out  of  tin-  wliolo  contingent  of  the  iHipiilation,  upwards  of  ll.tMX)  belong 
to  the  Ussuri  Cossack  Ifoops.  All  tlu-  troops,  as  regards  administration,  form 
a  special  Ussiiri  district  divided  into  3  sections:  for  civil  administration,  it 
is  divided  into  stanitsas  or  villages.  The  extent  of  the  territory  occupied  by 
the  troops  is  not  yet  fixed:  part  of  the  Cossacks  enjoy  a  temporary  grant  of 
40  desiatins  to  each  man,  others  possess  tentorial  rights  over  8  versts  from 
the  settlements  up  and  down  the  river,  and  10  versts  into  the  interior  of 
the  country.  In  time  of  war,  the  troops  furnish  a  cavalry  division,  in  time 
of  peace  a  cavalry  sotnia. 

The  tenure  of  the  land  and  its  exploitation  by  the  peasants  and  other 
classes  are  subjected  in  the  Littoral  territory  to  the  rules  established  on  the 
26  March,  1861,  which  are  the  same  as  those  for  the  .Vmi'ir  territory.  Through- 
out this  immense  extent,  iirivate  land  tenure  exists  only  in  70  households, 
lielonging  to  individuals  who  availed  themselves  of  the  right  to  purchase 
their  own  lands. 

The  Koreans  occupy  the  south-western  part  of  the  Ussuri  region,  adjoin- 
ing Possiet  Bay  and  the  Manchurian  frontier.  The  emigration  of  the  Koreans 
began  in  1863.  They  are  all  Russian  subjects. 


Chinese  workmen  on  the  railway  (phot,  by  l^flatskevich). 


The  Chinese,  so-called  „manzas",  live  in  desert  and  scarcely  explored 
valleys,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  natives  whom  they  exploit.  Part  of  the 
manza.s  found  a  shelter  in  Vladivostok  and  Xiki'ilsk,  where  they  occujiy 
themselves  with  petty  market  trade.  This  population  lives  apart  from  the 
Russians  and  remains  subject  to  China. 

The  Golds  live  near  the  mouth  of  the  Ussuri,  part  of  them  being 
scattered   about   the  tributaries    of  the   (loryn,    Iman,   Biki'n  and    Daubi-khe. 

The  Olchis  or  Manguns  occupy  tlie  locality  stretching  down  the  .\imir 
III  the  town  of  Sofiisk. 

The  Giliilks  inhabit  the  biwer  reaches  of  tlie  .\nuir  and  alnng  the  coast 
of  the  Okhotsk  Sea,  constitutiiii:  tlic  most  nuiucroiis  native  trib(\ 


THE  LITTORAL  TKKRITORY, 


435 


'Plir  Oroehi's  an'  imM  with  along  the  coasi  nT  Ihr  Strail  of  Tarlar\  and 
(111  [\\v  u|ipor  waters  of  ihc  right  atl'liiiMits  dI'  iIic  Issi'iri.  All  llir  wamlrriiig 
natives  profess  Shainani.snL 

The  industries  and  ocenpatinns  ol'  the  inhaliitants  in  the  Littoral  ten-ilory 
and  in  the  rssiiiM-I.ittoral  ri\i;icin  are  as  varied  as  the  eounlry  itself,  its 
climate  and   populatinii. 


Convicts  at  work  on  ttie  Ussuri  railway  (phot,  by  IVlatskevichJ. 


Agriculture  is  mainly  carried  nn  in  iIk'  sunthn-n  portion  of  lin-  [jttoral 
territory,  where  the  fertile  stejipe  plains  otVer  a  wide  scope  for  the  develop- 
ment of  agriculture.  As  a  conse(iuencc  of  the  alnindance  of  free  land,  the 
fallow  system  is  adapted. 

The  following  plants  are  cultivated:  oats,  (;ii.t)  per  cent),  wheat.  (2s  per 
cent)  yaritsa,  (22.6  ])er  cent)  buckwheat,  (8.4  per  cent),  millet  (H.8  per  cent), 
barley  (3.2  per  cent),  winter  rye  (2.4  per  centl.  The  heavy  and  chiefly  clayey 
soil  is  tilled  by  jiloughs;  there  are  here  many  ploughs  on  the  Sakk  and  l>ir 
systems  (with  a  seat)  and  AnitM-ican  i)loughs  with  one  sliari-;  thi'  fallow  land 
is  ploughed  by  a  team  of  '^  to  4  pairs  of  oxen. 

The  firm  of  Kunst  and  Albers  supplies  the  village  population  with  agri- 
cultural implements  and  machinery;  it  operates  in  Vladivostok  and  sends 
fitters  to  the  villa.ces  who  shew  how  the  machines  are  to  be  managed.  There 
is  no  regular  alternation  of  crops,  and  the  land  is  sown  with  various  gi'ain 
as  long  as  it  has  not  lost  its  productive  i-a|>acily.  Yaritsa  ami  wheat  sown 
on  fallow  land  yield,  under  favourable  conditions,  about  120  and  more  |)uds 
to  the  desiatin:  on  land  jiruviously  used,  the  output  of  the  same   grain  is  50 


436 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


til  Til  piiils  al'iri-  a  sparr  oT  -t  di'  .')  years.  Al'iei'  ilif  land  has  lircn  imili-r 
cultivation  Un-  7  to  10  years,  it  is  al)andoni'(l  for  an  indctiniti-  time.  Tho  area 
ciiltivatod  in  the  Ussuri-Littoral  region  widens  troiii  year  to  Near  and  now 
comprises  upwards  of  6(),{X)0  desiatins  but  as.  ijesides  the  a.iiricultural  popu- 
lation, the  region  has  to  supply  the  coinmisseriat,  the  distilleries,  the  gold 
mines,  the  railway  emi)loyees  and  worKmen,  the  deficiency  is  imported  from 
Manchuria,  China,  Japan,  Odessa  and  America.  The  iiuality  of  grain  in  the 
Ussuri  region  is  not  good  The  corn  fields,  especially  yaritsa,  are  affected  by 
the  abundance  of  moisture  and  invaded  by  weeds.  The  grain  contains  too 
litth^  starch.  In  .seneral,  the  leguminous  jilants  and  millet  thriv(>  well  in  the 
I'ssuri  region. 

Stock-raising  has  received  a  considerable  development  in  this  country. 
On  the  average,  every  peasant  and  Cossack  household  possesses  8  or  9  head 
of  cattle  and  2  or  .3  sheep  or  other  stock.  Among  the  latter,  are  mostly  swine, 
the  raisin.g  of  sheep  meeting  with  but  little  success  on  account  of  the  damp- 
ness of  the  swampy  pastures.  The  quality  of  the  cattle  is  still  very  inferior, 
the  cattle  is  small  and  unproductive:  the  horse  comes  of  the  Transbaikal 
stock  and  is  also  not  large.  The  demand  for  stronger  and  lar.ger  horses  is 
satisfied  by  a  supply  of  some  thousand  horses,  which  are  annually  driven 
from  the  Tomsk  government.  The  territt)ry  is  often  ravaged  by  the  Siberian 
pest  and  the  plague  brought  from  Manchuria,  which  naturally  e.xert  a  bad 
effect  on  the  economic  condition  of  the  population  and  impede  the  improve- 
ment of  cattle  by  means  of  proper  selection.  Deer  are  reared  mostly  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  territory. 

The  wandering  natives  tend  immense  herds  of  deer  and  dogs. 

According  to  the  statistics  for  the  last  few  years,  the  territory  nil  inhered 
190,(518  deer  and  33,3(X)  dogs  enijiloyed  for  drivini;-. 

Forestry  in  the  South-Ussiiri  region,  plentirull,\  pi-dvidnl  with  land, 
increases  every  year.  All  the  forests  in  this  country  are  divided  inlo  three 
categories  according  to  their  importance: 

1)  forests  situated  on  inaccessible  ridges,  apart  frnni  raftalile   rivers. 

2)  forests  suppl.ving  the  iiopulatiiui  with  building  materials  for  the  pur- 
poses of  their  households, 

.3)  forests  exploited  for  sale. 

The  area  occui)ied  by  the  latter  amounts  approximately  to  .^.OiXj.iX)!!  de- 
siatins. In  connexion  with  the  increase  of  the  pojiulation  and  the  lowering 
of  wages  for  the  workmen,  export  of  wood  abroad  might  be  expected  in  the 
future.  In  spite  of  .great  variety,  the  trees  growing  here  are  not  of  a  good  , 
quality.  Only  the  larch  possesses  solid  timber,  all  the  other  species  are 
easily  attacked  by  decay,  even  the  oak.  The  best  material  for  joiner  work  is 
ottered  by  cork  or  velvet  tree. 

Trapping  and  hunting  jday  an  important  part  in  the  Littoral  territory. 
Besides  whale,  seal,  and  bea\er  fisheries  which  are  leased  by  the  Govern- 
ment (described  in  the  review  of  the  Okhotsk,  Kamchatka  and  Bering  Seas), 
a  considerable  part  of  the  permanent,  native  and  wand(M-ing  population  is 
devoted  to  trapping  and  hunting. 

The  animals  hunted  are: 

Th(^  roebuck,  (Cervus  caprenlusi  iniirratin;:'  in  sprinu'  in  iiunu'nse  herds 
from  -Manchuria  tn  ibe  Aiiiiir  and  I'ssuri.  and  i-ciuriiiiii;'  when  the  rivers 
cover  with  ice.  Tln^  inhabitants  profit  liy  this  uievenient  and  kill  a  great 
number  of  roebuck,  sujiplying  themselves  with  meat  for  the  whole  year.  The 


THE  LlTTORAl.  TERRITORY.  4;17 

skins  are  t'mployed  for  overcoats  railed  ilokha.oostinir  fmni  R.  10  to  I{  2o.  The 
ti^'er  (Felis  tigris).  About  120  to  l.Mt  tigers  are  shot  or  poisoned  annually  in 
the  L'ssuri  region.  The  skin  of  this  animal  is  valued  at  R.  ino  to  R.  200.  The 
hones,  bile,  heart,  claws  and  other  parts  of  the  tiger  are  bought  by  the 
("hinese,  who  grind  them  into  powder  and  administer  them  especially  to  the 
soldiers  in  order  to  keep  uii  tiieir  pluck.  The  maral  (Cervus  elai>hus).  The 
young  horns  of  this  animal  called  .punty"  are  purchased  by  the  Chinese  at 
a  high  rate.  They  are  used  by  them  for  the  preparation  of  various  medicines, 
and  are  most  valuable  when  developing  a  second  branch.  The  price  of  the 
I'anty  Iluctuates  between  R.  lOOand  H.  tiiH).  The  inarul  is  hunted  in  the  middle 
of  May.  The  great  value  attached  to  the  horns,  and  the  possibility  of  getting 
them  every  spring  from  the  same  deer,  suggested  the  idea  of  cajduring 
living  deer  and  keeping  them  in  special  fenced  areas.  The  deer  get  accustom- 
ed to  their  confinement  and  even  breed.  Maral  studs  are  met  with  in 
"It.  Olga's  Bay  and  on  the  Suchan. 

The  white  bear  (Irsus  arctos)  and  black  be;u-  (I'lsus  libetanus),  elk  (Cervus 
alces),  spotted  deer  (Cervus  apis),  l)oar  (Sus  scrota  ferns),  antiloi)e  (Antilojie 
crispa),  muskdeer  tMoschus  moschiferous).  The  sable  (Mustella  zibellina) 
with  the  increase  of  the  population,  retires  more  and  more  from  the  inhabited 
centres.  The  cost  of  a  sable  fell  varies  from  R.  .5  to  R.  20,  according  to  the 
([uality  of  the  fur. 

Fox  (Canis  vulpes).  The  dark-brown  fox  occurs  very  rarely  and  its  skin 
is  sold  at  the  rate  of  R.  loo  to  R.  2,to  each.  Squirrel  (Sciurus  vulgaris).  The 
skin  of  the  siiuirrel  is  of  a  superior  quality  and  is  sold  at  the  local  markets 
for  20  k.  or  :io  k.  a  piece. 

The  remaining  fur  animals  are  of  less  importance,  .\iiioug  the  birds, 
geese,  various  forms  of  duck,  pheasant,  wood-cock,  hazel-hen,  and  quail  are 
important  from  an  industrial  point  of  view.  The  quantity  of  animals  taken 
and  their  value  cannot  be  stated,  but  it  may  be  said  that  traiiping  yields 
approximately  a  profit  of  R.  200,ouo  to  the  population  of  the  territoi-y,  exclusive 
of  what  is  leased  by  the  Government.  With  a  view  to  maintain  trapping, 
rules  have  been  published,  which  fix  the  dates  for  hunting  while  iirohibiting 
many  ways  of  conducting  it.  Hunting  has  been  foi'bidden  in  Crown  forests 
for  12  years  in  order  to  increase  the  quantity  of  useful  game. 

Fishing  which,  in  the  mu-thern  portions  of  the  territory,  principally  sup- 
plies both  men  and  domestic  animals  with  food,  is  here  considerably  devel- 
oped. Among  the  various  fish  species  occurring  in  the  rivers  and  along  the 
sea-coast,  the  foremost  industrial  importance  belongs  to  the  keta  (Trutto 
lagocephalus).  It  is  preserved  according  to  various  methods,  being  salted, 
dried  and  hung.  The  skin  of  this  fish  is  used  by  the  natives  for  sails,  dress 
and  boots.  The  flesh  is  extensively  consumed  by  the  population,  and  is  even 
used  as  food  for  dogs  aud  sometimes  for  swirre  and  cattle.  The  quantity  of 
keta  caught  amounts  to  several  million  i>uds,  which  are  consumed  within 
the  confines  of  the  region.  The  want  of  knowledge  on  the  preservation  of  fish 
and  the  scarceness  of  salt  account  for  the  small  export  of  fish  products  abroad. 

The  llsh  taken  for  local  use  is  not  sub.ject  to  any  state  duty,  whereas  Ibi- 
the  fish  exported  abroad  Russian  subjects  have  to  ]iay  a  k.  per  pud  and  for- 
eigners 7  k.  Foreign  export  is  carried  cm  in  moderate  proportions  on  the 
southern  coast  of  the  teriitory. 

The  sea-cabbage   industry  has  been  a  long  time  pursued  and  is  still,  1>,\ 
the  Chinese  along  the  coast  of  the  Sea  of  Japan  and-^if  the  Strait  of  Tartary. 


438  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 

A  considerable  (luantity  of  cabbage  is  forwarded  to  China.  The  conditions 
for  the  gathering  of  .sea-cabbage  by  Russians  and  foreigners  are  the  same 
as  in  the  case  of  fishing. 

Crayfish,  crab  and  trepang  are  taJven  on  the  coast  of  the  South  Ussiiri 
region  mainly  by  the  Chinese,  who  pay  a  certain  duty  to  the  Government  for 
every  sloop  and  boat.  At  present,  trepr.ng  is  caught  with  the  help  of  divers. 

\\'orivS  and  manufactories  are  still  at  a  very  low  stage  of  development, 
empliiying  not  more  than  2,iK)0  workmen,  with  an  annual  production  of  only 
about  R.  l,.'j(X).oi)().  The  most  important  factories  are: 

Piankov's  distillery;  7  steam  flour-mills  belonging  to  tiie  military  depart- 
ment and  private  persons:  Buring's  cast-iron  and  copper  foundry  with 
machinery  workshop;  Suvorov's  Swedish  matches  manufactory. 

The  internal  trade  of  the  territory,  with  the  exception  of  Vladivostok, 
consists  mainly  of  the  sale  of  imported  goods;  together  with  the  increase  of 
the  population  by  way  of  colonisation,  it  develops  from  year  to  year,  amount- 
ing to  an  annual  turnover  of  R.  4,(ja:),iWl  to  R.  5,ai«,i)U0.  The  trade  carried 
on  with  the  natives  cannot  be  determined  by  figures,  being  subject  to  quite 
peculiar  conditions:  nearly  all  the  natives  are  dependent  on  traders  of  some 
other  nationality.  The  Golds  and  Orochis  are  entirely  under  the  influence  of 
the  Chinese,  who  deliver  them  goods  on  trust,  being  guaranteed  by  the  furs 
collected  by  the  natives,  which  they  take  for  half  the  i)rice.  The  Tungus  are 
in  a  like  manner  dependent  on  Yakut  merchants. 

The  external  trade  is  carried  on  by  land  with  the  adjoining  countries 
of  Manchuria  and  Korea,  and  by  sea  is  gradually  extending  to  all  ether 
countries. 

The  statistics  for  the  barter  between  the  Ussuri  region,  ^^lanchuria  and 
Korea,  thanks  te  the  immense  extent  of  the  boundary  line  and  the  insufficient 
number  of  barriers,  give  no  idea  of  these  operations  but  only  on  illustration 
of  the  trade  by  land.  The  total  imi)ort.s  from  Manchuria  barely  amount  to 
R.  1.000,000  per  annum,  the  chief  article,  forming  upwards  of  50  per  cent, 
being  cattle  and  horses;  the  remaining  sum  is  obtained  from  raw  animal 
products  and  partly  from  flour  and  grain.  The  imports  from  Korea  are  (juite 
inconsiderable  and  at  present  scarcely  exceed  a  value  of  R.  1(K),000  per  an- 
num, 70  per  cent  of  this  sum  being  yielded  by  cattle.  The  export  of  goods 
to  Manchuria,  mostly  in  transit  through  the  Ussuri  region,  does  not  exceed 
the  item  of  import;  the  greater  part  of  the  exported  articles  are  made  abroad 
and  consist  of  various  cotton  goods  of  inferior  nuality.  The  export  of  goods 
to  Korea  by  land  is  identical  with  the  export  to  Mancluiria  and  within  recent 
years  amounted  on  an  average  to  R.  150,0tX)  annually. 

Sea  trade,  placed  in  close  connexion  with  the  development  of  commer- 
cial navigation,  increases  every  year.  The  number  of  shii)s  arriving  at  Vla- 
divostok and  Xikolaevsk  is  increasing  from  year  to  year  and,  upon  the  com- 
pletion ef  the  Great  Siberian  Railway,  this  increase  will  go  mi  still  more 
rapidly. 

In  propoi'tiou  to  the  .irrowing  numbt.'r  of  ships,  the  imports  and  ex- 
jiorts  undergo  the  same  process.  In  iSiM,  the  goods  impoi'ted  to  the  port 
nf  Vla(livost(>k  by  l.'):i  steamers  amounted  to  7,01)2,944  |)uds:  in  1S9G, — 12,15.'),75.3 
puds  were  cari'ied  by  267  steamers.  In  1894.  a  total  of  2,165,1h;^  i)uds  were 
exported  from  the  same  port:  in  1H96,  the  total  was  3,172,204   i)uds.  The  pro- 


THK  LITTORAL  TERRITORY.  439 

pnriioii  of  iinpniii'd  and  exported  goods  accordin;;  to  naliiuialilifs    was  illus- 
trated ill  IKOi)  by  the  followiiiir  figures: 

Russia 31 .5  America 2.9 

liermany 28.9  Denmark 1.0 

Norway 17.0  Austria 0.9 

England 10.6  Korea 0.2 

Japan 6.6 

The  goods  brought  to  Vladivostok  during  the  navigation  of  1898  may  be 
distriliuted  in  the  followin.i:  fashion  with  refei-ence  to  countries:  46.;3  per  cent 
from  Russian  i>orts,  19..T  per  cent  from  Chinese  ports.  11.6  ])er  cent  from 
Japanese  ports.  9.2  per  cent  from  the  jiorts  of  the  Littoral  territory  and  the 
Island  of  Sakhalin;  S.2  per  cent  came  from  English,  :i:d  per  cent  from  German. 
1.4  per  cent  from  American  and  0..5  per  cent  from  Korean  ports. 

The  goods  exported  from  Vladivostok  during  the  season  of  navigation  in 
1896.  mostly  forwarded  to  .Sakhalin.  Xikolaevsk.  Kamchatka  and  other  jiorts 
of  the  Littoral  region,  formed  S6.9  per  cent,  to  the  Chinese  ports  11.4  per  cent, 
to  the  Japanese  ports,  2.0  per  cent  and  O.iXi   per  cent  to   Euroi)ean    Russia. 

Among  the  goods  imported  to  Vladivostok,  the  first  place  is  taken  by 
manufactures,  forming  2."j  per  cent,  about  l,')per  cent  are  represented  by  grain 
and  tlour,  and  10  per  cent  by  other  foods.  Next  come  metal  wares,  sugar, 
spirit,  metals  etc.  Foreign,  principally  German,  goods  hold  an  imi»ortant  place, 
although  Russian  articles  aciiuire  every  year  a  greater  predominance  among 
the  imported  goods. 

The  part  played  in  trade  by  the  Russian  ports  and  goods  is  demon- 
strated by  the  following  figures  drawn  from  the  transactions  of  the  Russian 
Trade  and  Industry  Congress. 

Russian  goods  imported  Foreign  goods  imported 
into  Vladivostok  and  lo  Vladivostdk  and  T  0  T   \  L 

YE.\RS.  .VikoUevsk.  Nikoliievsk. 

Puds.               Kubls.                 Puds.                 KubU.                 Puds.  Rubls. 

ISSS 684,000      4.900,000  2,50.^.000       7.900,000  ;^,1S7.000  12.80O,O(J0 

■i8S9 881,000      ,5,040.(XH5  2,12.5,000      5,.W0.000  .^,046.01)0  12,8(^)0,000 

1890 2.042,001)      6,910.0:J:)  1,457,000      4,:iS0,000  3,499,000  11,240,(X)0 

1891    :3,62.3,0O0     11,770,000  1,.S48.000      :i960,000  4,971,000  15,730,000 

1892 4,125,000     11,910,000  l,.3.50.00O      4,490.000  5.475.oai  16.400,000 

1893 :^.786,000     ll,2t)0,(X)0  2.25:3.000       7,700,000  6,i:39,(X)0  18.900,000 

1894 4.105,000     11,875,UX)  ;3,425,000     10,210,000  7,580,000  22,085,000 

The  comparison  of  the  imports  of  Russian  and  forei.irn  goods  during  a 
period  of  7  years  yields  the  followinix  results: 

GOODS. 
Russian.  Foreign. 

Imi>orts  increased,  in  weight 6     fold  1.4  fold. 

.    value 2.4    „  1.4    „ 

In  1,S88  goods,  according  to  weight 21  per  cent  79  p.  c. 

-    1894       ,.  ..  ,         .      .54     „         „      46  .    . 

,.    1888      ,  ,  ..    value 29    ,        .     (U  .    . 

.    l«'-»4      ,  ,  .,  .       54     „         ..      46  .     ., 

Among  the  articles  which  shew  an  increasing  export,  the  chief  place  is 
taken  by  the  produce  of  the  whale  and  seal  fisheries,  and  by  various  furs; 
next  come  sea-cabbage,  trepang.  maral  horns  or  panty  and  timber. 


440 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GKEAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


'I'lic  tracir  at  Xikuhii'Vsk  consists  mainly  nf  ^nmls  in  livinsit  wliirh.  nut 
hfini;'  riin.siiini'il  cm  llir  s|iiil.  arc  I'orwai'di'il  up  tlic  Aiuiii"  nT  ilirsr.  tea  I'^inns 
about  .T)  per  I'cnl,  siii;ai'  11  per  (■ciil,  inotal  wai'i's  ami  lucoinntivi's  lii  per 
i-cnt.  inaiuifai'tiiri'il  artii-lcs  '.i  per  cent,  .uToceries  olr.  s  pci'  cent. 

Tho  openinjA'  of  continuous  steam  communication  li,\  the  (iroal  Silni'ian 
liailway,  in  connexion  with  the  (•onstructi(m  of  a  commercial  port  in  Vlacli- 
\ost61<.  meeting  all  the  future  reipiirements  of  coniinercial  intercourse  at  the 
terminus  of  the  great  transit  rniiio,  will  serve  to  prmuoto  the  pro<;i'ess  nf 
trade  in  this  port,  irivinu-  it  a  univiM'sal  ami  p.iwoi'fiil  simiilicanci'  in  the 
history  of  civilisation. 


1!  MIL  km;  |;.\  I'll  Y. 

11  From  \ladivo.s(i'il;  to  lriil.sk.  (luif)i>  to  tin- Joiinicv  ol  His  liiipiTial  llii;hiic.s.s  llii'  Tsesa- 
ri'vich.  Vulil.  hy  the  C'cntr.  Stnt.  t'oinniit.  of  the  .Miiiist.  "of  the  Int.  St.  I'lig-.  !S!(1.'  2l  Tin- 
Emperor  Nicholas  II's  Journey  to  the  East  in  18i)((  and  18i)l,  by  Prince  Tklitomsky.  vol.  Ill 
St.  Plig'.  1SU7.  H)  Siberian  trade  and  industry  calendars,  edit,  by  Komanov,  in  Tomsk,  for 
189(:i— tSill).  4)  Siberia  and  the  (ireat  Siberian  Railway,  pnbl.  by  the  Miu.  of  Fin.  Board  ol 
Trade  and  .Manufactures  St.  Pbg.  ISOiJ.  .o)  Geological  explorations  and  investigations  along  the 
Siberian  railway,  pts.  I —VI.  St.  Pbg.  IStKi — 1897,  Pnbl.  by  the  (leolugical  Committee,  (i)  Appen- 
div  to  the  Report  of  the  Minister  of  Agriculture  and  State  Dmnains  presented  to  His  hnper- 
ial  Majesty,  after  his  journey  to  Siberia  in  the  autumn  of  1S9.')  St.  Pbg.  18!H).  7)  The  Littoral 
i-egion  at  the  Russian  exhibition  in  Nizhni  Novgorod,  by  Kriiikov.  .Moscow.  189(i.  8)  Geographical 
and  Statistical  Dictionary  of  the  Amiir  and  Littoral  territories,  by  Kirillov.  Blagoveshchensk. 
1894.  9)  Sketch  of  the  chief  waterways  in  the  Anu'ir  regicni.  by  Timouov.  St.  Pbg.  18il7. 
10)  Description  of  tlie  ,i!-old  and  mining  industries  of  the  Amur  Littoral  regions,  by  Bogoliubsky. 
St.  Pbg.  189.1.  II)  Industrial  wealth  of  Kamchatka,  Sakhalin  and  the  Konumdor  Islands,  by 
Sliiinin"  St.  Pbg.  189.').  12 1  The  Far  East,  by  Schreider.  St.  Pbg.  |8il7,  I:!)  Works  of  the  eastern 
sub-commission  relative  to  tlie  construction  of  the  I'ssiiri  and  Amur  railways.  14)  Review  of 
the  activity  of  the  .Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  State  Domains  for  a  period  of  4  years.  St.  Pbg.  1898. 


I 


r 


^1 


The  Ussuri  Railway. 


-^- 


Construction  of  the  line.  —  Us  cost.  —  Description  of  the  stations   and   localities    traverse 

by  the  railway;  town  of    Khabar6vsk.       Stations:    Kirfovskaya.  —  Dukhovskaya.  —  Dor- 

middntova.  —  Viizemskaya.  —  llov^iskaya.  —  Rozengdrtovka.   —  Bikfn.  —  Bocharova.  — 

Kurdiumovka.  —  Imin.  —  Muravi6v.  —  Amurskaya.  —  Prokhcisko.  — 

Ussuri.  —  Shmikovka.  —  Svidgino.  —  SpAsskaya.  —  Chernfgovka.  — 

Nevelskdya. — Nikilskoe.  —  Town  of  Nik61sk--  Ussurisk.  —  Stations: 

Razd61noe.  —  Nadizhdinskaya.  —  Vladivost6k.  —  Description    of    the 

town  of  VladiVost6k.  —  Sea  port. 


,?IE  plan  to  construct  a  railway  line  within  tho  confines  of 
the  UssLir  region  dates  from  the  year  \Xi5,  when  the  local 
1  administration  urged  teh  establishment  of  steam  communica- 
tion from  the  town  of  Vladivostok  to  Lake  Khanka.  The  neces- 
sity of  this  route  was  pointed  out  by  the  Committee  presided 
over  by  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis  Alexiindrovich;  however,  the 
execution  of  this  railway  was  postponed,  from  economic  consi- 
derations. It  was  only  in  1887  that  the  question  of  the  surveys  for  the  Ussuri 
railway  was  definitely  settled,  and  an  expedition  under  the  direction  of  Engineer 
Ursati  despatched  for  conducting  the  surveys,  which  were  made  during  1887 
and  ias8. 

The  projected  route  of  the  South  Ussuri  section,  from  Vladivostok  to  the 
station  of  Grafskaya.  was  approved  of,  and  the  execution  of  the  line  autho- 
rised, with  the  sanction  of  the  Emperor,  by  the  Committee  of  Ministers  on 
the  l.T  February,  1891.  The  director  of  the  survey  expedition.  Engineer  Ursati 
was  appointed  manager  of  the  works,  which  were  started  without  delay: 
when  on  the  19  .May,  1891.  the  work  and  the  construction  of  the  station  of 
Vladivostok  was  solemnly  inaugurated  by  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  present 
Emperor  Nicholas  II,  then  Heir  .\pparenl  to  the  throne,  the  earthworks  and 
the  permanent  way  were  completed  for  a  distance  of  2V2  versts.  which  were 
then  traversed  by  the  first  train. 

From  the  beginning  of  1893.  the  construction  of  thi'  line  was  entrusted 
to  Engineer  Viazeiusky.  who  completed  the  work.  On  the  :{  Februar.\.  the 
Committee  of  .Ministers  fixed  the  direction  of  the  North-Ussiiri  line,  and  its 
construction  was  commenced  (Jnthe  e  December.  1894,  temporary  traffic  was 


442 


GUIDE   TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


opened  IVoin  \'l;ulivost6k  to  (in'ifskaya;  on  the  :i  Septoniber,  1^97.  the  first 
train  arrived  at  Vladivostok  from  Khabarovsk,  having  left  it  on  the  1  September. 

The  South-Ussuri  line  (.■i82  vei'sta)  was  completed  and  open  for  regular 
t rattle-  on  the  1  February,  1S!)(5;  the  North  Ussurr  line  (3:59  versts),  on  the 
1  Xovemlier.  1S97. 

The  cost  of  construction  of  the  North  Ussuri  line,  inclusive  of  rolling 
stock,  amounted  to  R.  22,458,879  and  that  of  the  South  Ussuri  section  to  R. 
20.583,509,  forming  a  total  of  R.  43,042,888,  for  a  length  of  721  versts.  The 
number  of  stations  and  sidings  along  the  line  is  39. 

1)  Town  of  Khabarovsk  of  the  Littoral  territory,  centre  of  administration 
of  the  Amur  province  under  a  Governor-General.  (8,944  versts  from  St.  Peters- 
burg) (48°  28'  N.  lat.  152°  47    E.  long.). 


Vie  A'  of  the  town  ol  Kliabaibvsk. 

m 

In  1858,  Count  Muraviov-Amursky.  Governor-General  of  Eastern  Siberia, 
founded  a  military  settlement  for  the  13-th  active  battalion  on  the  right  elev- 
ated bank  of  the  Amiir  at  its  junction  with  the  Ussuri,  which  received  the 
name  of  Khabarovka  in  honour  of  the  gallant  Cossack  ataman  Yeroiei  Kha- 
barov,  who  was  one  of  the  conquerors  of  the  Amiir  region  in  the  XVll  century. 

Enjoying  a  favourable  position  at  the  junction  of  three  important  water- 
ways, formed  by  the  middle  and  lower  Amur  and  its  tributary  the  Ussuri, 
the  settlement  grew  rapidly.  In  1880,  it  was  transrornied  into  a  town  and 
became  the  centre  of  administration  in  the  Littoral  territory,  transferred  from 
the  town  of  Nikolaevsk  on  tlie  .\iiiiir:  in  1884,  when  the  Amur  region  was 
detached  from  Eastern  Siberia  and  subjecti-d  to  a  Governor-General,  Kha- 
barovka became  the  residence  of  the  latter,  lii  1883  Khabarovka  received  the 
name  of  the  town  of  Khabarovsk. 

It  is  picturesi]uely  situated  on  two  terraces  and  three  elevations,  ap|)roacli- 
ing  the  banks  of  the  Anr.ir  and  abruptlx'  failing  td  the  water's  edge.  These 
elevations  are  intersected  by  the  imim|i  u-tant  rivers  Pliiisninka  and  Cherdy- 
movka  falling  into  the  Ami'ir  and  dividing  tiie  town  into  three  parts  or  hills: 
the  Artillery,  Central  and  Military  hills.  The  highest  is  the  first,  rising  to  an 
elevation  of  20  sazhens  above  the  level  of  the  .Vmtir,  ne.Kt  come  the  Central 


THE  l^ssiiRi  Railway. 


14.) 


hill  17  sazht-ns  hiirh  ami  the  Military  hill  of  l.?sa/.hons.  The  entiri- i-lcvation. 
111!  which  Khaliarc'vsk  siamls.  cunsists  of  clayey  slale  and  cla\'  which,  at 
some  |ilac('s.  is  covered  with  a  irrey  ar.irillaceoiis  soil  and  with  a  sli.^rht  layer 
of  fertile  l>lackearth.  The  nature  of  the  soil  accounts  for  the  dilllculties  attend- 
ing coniiniinieation  over  the  steoji  hills  and  explains  the  jiresence  of  wooden 
stairs  connectinir  at  certain  points  the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  the  town. 
The  town  is  planned  so  as  to  have  a  principal  street  at  the  middle  of  each 
part,  streti'hin;;  alonsr  the  top  of  the  hill  and  crossed  by  transverse  streets 
ninnin.g  ihroutrh  two  or  three  hills  and  connected  hy  means  of  l.i-id'res  spann- 
in.ir  the  streams  Plii'isninka  and  Cherdymovka. 

The  principal  street.  foUowinir  the  Central  hill,  has  received  tln'  name  of 
^iui'aviov-.Vmiirsky,  in  honour  of  Count  Muraviov-Amursky. 

The  hreadth  of  the  streets  i.s  ahout  1')  sazhens:  they  are  un|>aved  and 
onl.x'  at  a  few  places  have  wooden  side-paths.  The  town  consists  mainly  of 
small  wooden  houses  over  ],0()0  in  number;  some  of  the  buildings  are  of 
Chinese  architecture.  There  are  only  about  40  stone  buildings,  which  mostly 
belonjr  to  Crown  institutions,  and  8  churches  of  which  2  are  of  wo<id  and 
one  is  a  stone  cathedral  in  honour  of  the  .Vssumjjtion  of  the  Holy  Viricin. 
Many  of  the  houses  are  completely  hidden  by  trees  which,  together  with  the 
pictures(iue  situation  of  the  town,  gives  it  a  pleasant  appearance.  The  trav- 
eller, approachinj;  the  town  by  steamer,  obtains  an  exceptionally  fine  view 
from  the  deck. 

Si)ecial  attention  is  claimed  by  the  stone  cathedral.  On  the  left,  are  the 
(jovernor-fienci-al's  house,  the  military  club,  the  museum  of  the  geoirrapiiical 
society,  the  town  u'arden:    on    the    riirht    rise 'various    liovernment    liuildinirs 


Monument  to  Count  Muravidv-Amursky  (phot,  by  Matsk^vich). 


surrounded  by  groves  of  trees  and  a  pavillion  with  stairs  descending  to  the 
waters  of  the  Amiir.  There  is  also  the  market  place  and  the  Chinese  town 
with  its  temple. 

The  town  garden,  situated  on  an  elevated  prnmnntnry  cnmmanding  a 
wide  view  over  the  .\mur  and  the  environs,  contains  a  monument  U<  Count 
Muraviov-.\mursk\.  founder  of  the  town. 


444 


OUIDE  TO  THE   GREAT  SIBERIAN  UAII.WAY, 


The  inau.ii-uratinn  of  tho  monument  coincidod  with  tho  meniorahlo  visit 
to  Khaliannsk  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  liie  i)resent  lunperor  Xicliolas  11. 

It  was  ereeted  after  tlio  design  of  the  Academician  Opelcushin  and  inaug- 
urated in  the  i)resence  of  His  Imperial  Majesty  on  the  30  May  1891. 

A  high  stone  pedestal  (5  sazhens  1  arshini  hewn  in  syenite  and  sand- 
stone, representing  a  truncated  pyramid,  supports  the  ai'tistically  worked 
ijronze  figure  of  the  famous  comiueror  of  the  Amiir.  On  eacli  side  of  the  j 
base  are  attached  bronze  plates,  on  which  are  engraved  the  dates  of  import- 
ant events,  and  the  names  of  Count  Muraviov-Amursky's  associates  in  the ' 
annexation  of  the  country  and  those  of  the  members  of  the  Amur  expedition. 
(Jlose  to  the  monument,  was  erected  out  of  the  remainder  of  the  memorial, 
fund,  a  home  for  veteran  Cossacks,  who  sujiply  the  guard. 

Tlie  number  of  inhabitants  is  14,971 1 
(11,7.S0  males,  .3,241  females).  The  Korean! 
and  Chinese  population  amount  to  about| 
4.024  (3,854  males,  170  fenuiles). 

The  characteristic  feature  of  the  pop- 
ulation is  the  considerable  i)redominance3 
of  males  over  females  (27.9  women  to  100 J 
men)  explained  by  the  quartering  of  troopsi 
and  the  influx  of  a  purely  male  Chinese] 
population. 

Representing  the  chief  centre  of  admin- 
istration in  the  Amur  region,  the  town ' 
of  Khabarovsk  contains  the  civil  establish- 
ments of  various  departments,  and  all 
the  central  institutions  belonging  to  the 
military  district. 

With  the  gradual  development  of  com- 
mercial business,  now  amounting  to  about 
R.  2,000,000  per  annum,  the  town  revenue 
has  also  increased  and  fluctuates  between 
R.  70.(X)0  and  R.  80,(Kio  annually.  The  town 
bank  has  been  o]ien  since  the  year  1899. 
The  local  works  and  manufacturing  industry  have  not  as  yet  received 
any  expansion:  the  town  line  includes  only  the  following  factories:  a  beer- 
brew-ery,  a  pig-iron  foundry,  a  steam-mill,  a  tannery,  a  fur  dressing  manu- 
factory, an  establishment  for  the  preparation  of  mineral  water,  and  15  brick- 
kilns, iloreover.  red  wine  manufactured  by  Khlebnikov  is  for  sale.  The  wine 
is  obtained  from  the  wild  vine  growing  in  abundance  in  the  valley  nf  the 
Ussuri;  it  is  of  inferior  quality,  without  any  flavour  and  costs  from  70  k.  to 
R.  1  a  bottle.  At  the  present  time,  the  Japanese  are  serious  competitors  in 
the  preparation  nf  mineral  waters,  furnisliinu'  also  natural  Japanese  water 
of  a  very  siqu'rior  ([uality. 

The  conditions  of  life  in  Khabarovsk  are  not  attractive,  on  account  of  the 
absence  of  comfortable  dwellings,  and  the  exi)ensiveness  of  some  products 
and  of  the  most  necessary  articles.  Lodgings  with  4  or  5  rooms  are  charged 
R.  :M1  to  R.  700  per  annum:  imiiorted  colonial  goods  are  also  sold  at  a  hiuh 
rate  and  only  fish  is  ver.\  cheaji. 

EducatiDual  institutions;  Preparatory  School  of  the  Siberian  Cadet  Corps. 
Technical  railway  school.  Gymnasium  fur  girls  with  4  classes   and   a   board- 


1 

■— 5ii|,r~ 

sjt       "'*"'  ■ "           -        ^    -^ 

?alsj.„^ 

Triumphal    arch  in  Khabarbvsk  in  commem- 
oration of  the  journey  of  His  Imperial 
Majesty  in  1891. 


THE  rsSl'UI    RAILWAY. 


44:) 


inj;  scliDol.  Town  school  for  lioys  with  2  classes.  Tho  Aloxis  school  lor  irii-ls. 
with  "2  i-lasscs.  civatcii  in  coinnionioration  of  the  Grand  iMiki"  Alexis  Alcxan- 
drovich's  visit  to  Khaharovsk.  Town  parish  school,  (lunch  parish  school.  Pri- 
vate work  and  trade  school  and  children's  home. 

Bcin.y;  the  centre  af  all  the  administrative  institutions  answciinL;-  ihe 
reiniirentent-s  of  so  vast  a  country,  the  town  of  Khaharovsk  also  represents 
the  centre  of  tlie  intellectual  forces,  conirihutini;  to  develo])  spiritual  and 
intellectual  life  in  Ihe  ivistern  horderland. 

At  present,  the  foilowinir  societies  are  located  in  Klialiaruvsk. 


Town  of  Khabarovsk.  Governor-General's   house. 


The  .Vmin-  l)raiich  of  the  lm])erial  Russian  Geo,ffrai)hical  Society.  Com- 
mittee for  public  readiui:.  Ladii's'  Relief  Society.  Red  Cross  Society,  with 
.sisters  of  mercy.  \"olunteer  tire  brigade.  Amateur  Photography  Society 
Amateur  Art  Society.  Relief  Society  for  emigrants. 

The  Amiir  branch  of  the  Imperial  Russian  (ieographical  Society  was 
instituted  in  1894,  its  activity  being  chiefly  marked  by  the  organisation  id'  a 
museum  for  natural  science  and  history,  and  of  the  Nicholas  public  library. 
Tlie  museum  was  founded  by  the  lato  Baron  KortT.  Ciovernor-Genoral  cd' 
the  .\mur  region,  and  su|iplied  by  hint  with  the  first  ethnograidiical  collec- 
tions. The  museum  building  is  three-storeyed  and  was  erected  in  18!)7  out 
of  R.  1(K).()(K)  given  by  the  Government  and  in  voluntary  donations.  The 
ethnographical  and  zoological  collections  comprise  2o,<K)i)  artichvs.  Tli(>  libraiT 
of  this  division  is  mainly  comjiosed  of  presentation  books,  ot  wliirh  many 
are  the  liberal  gift  of  His  Imiierial  Majesty,  the  present  Emperor  .Nicholas  II 
The  library  was  oi)ened  on  the  (i  I'ecember.  lHi)4,  and  receivinl  the  name  (d' 
the  Nicholas  library  in  honour  of  His  Majesty.  Recently  it  was  enriched  by  a 
valuable  donation  from  the  Grand  Liuchess  .\lexandra  losifovna,  who  present- 
ed it  with  the  books  of  the  late  Grand  Duke  Constantine  Nikoliievich.  Thus, 
the  total  number  of  books  included  in  the  library  amounts  to  4<),()i)()  volumes, 
of  which  a  catalogue  is  now  being  made.  The  duplicate  cojdes  are  sent  to 
the  branches  of  the  .\nu'n-  section  and  jiartly  tn  Sou\.  where  a  i;ussian  lilirary 
has  been  opened. 


440 


OflDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


The  reports  dI'  the  nieiiilifrs  nrc  imlilished  in  ..Memnirs"'  iieriodifiilly  issued. 

The  committee  for  luiltlic  readinus,  which  started  its  activity  in  1S94 
on  the  initiative  of  S.  M.  luifihovskcii.  fonner  fiovernor-General  of  the  Amur 
I'l'n'ion,  has  also  founded  school  lilirarii's  in  the  ilistant  centres  of  poiiulatioii 
In  the  Ussiiri  region. 

In  the  autumn  of  1899,  the  first  exhibition  of  agriculture  and  industry 
was  orffanised  at  Khabarovslv.  At  its  close,  on  the  10  September,  the  .\mur 
(iovernor-deneral  distril)uted  the  foUowinic  |)rizes:  4  gold  medals.  :>:i  of  sil- 
ver, 71  of  bronze  and  .514  testimonials. 

There  is  a  military  and  jniblic  club  for  the  benefit  of  the  inhabitants.  .\n 
otficial  weekly  journal  „The  .Vmur  gazette",  strictlv- devoted  to  local  interests, 
is  published  in  Khabarovsk. 

The  town  contains  2  hotels,  with  rooms  from  R.  1  to  R.  2  a  d.iy.  The 
hackney-coach  tariff  is  R.  1  an  hour,  .5ii  k.  the  drive.  The  local  firms: 

Bogdanov-maniifactui'ed,  colonial,  halierdashery.  grocery  and  other  goods. 
Bayankevich,  wine  stores.  Ikner-iron  foundry.  Liubben-brewery.  Lucht-chemic- 
als  and  mineral  water.  Kunst  and  Albers-wholesale  colonial,  iron  and  other 
wares.  M.  Piankov-grocery  and  wine-cellar.  Pliusnin-manufactured,  colonial, 
haberdashery,  grocery  and  other  goods.  Tifontai-fur,  Chinese.  Japanese  and 
other  goods.  Khlebnikov  Brothers-grocery,  wine-cellar  containing  wine  of 
their  own  manufacture.  Churin  and  Co  manufactures,  haberdashery,  drugs, 
iron  and  grocery  goods.  Emeri-wholesale  and  retail  trade  in  various  goods. 
depot  of  agricultural  implements.  Electrotechnical  department. 


^^jlgJK//m 

"    1^ 

E 

:  n  |^^^HnJM|d^H 

Town  oi  Khuoaiv^vak.  House  ol'  Departr.ient  of  the  Ussuri  railway. 


Khabarcivsk.  11  class  station.  Buftet  (Tlti  v.  from  Vladivostok).  Is  situ- 
ated near  the  town,  the  number  of  buildings  increasing  in  the  direction  of 
the  station.  The  i>assenger  station  commands  a  beautiful  view  of  the  town 
set  off  by  the  background  of  the  Amur  and  the  Khekhtsirsk  ridge.  .\t  the  sta- 
tion, all  the  buildings  are  of  wood:  passenger  station,  II  houses  for  the 
accomodation  of  employees,  engine-house,  hosi)ital,  goods  platform  and  store- 
house. Moreover,  a  special  grou])  of  buildings  is  formed  by  the  erections 
meeting  the  needs  of  the  military  department:  barracks  for  a  comi)any  of 
the  Ussuri  railway  battalion  employed  in  the  exploitation  of  the  I'ssuri  line, 
and  a  fc>edin.ir  station  for  the  troops  forwardeil  from  the  railwav  along  the 
.Vmiir  and  back  au'aiu.  The  buildinirs  usi'd  by  the  battalion  comprise  b.-iri'acks 


THE  USSURI    RAILWAY. 


44^ 


fur  l<X)  active  suldicrs,  oxemplod  from  sorvici>  on  the  rMilw.iy.  ;\  liiniiiii:  I'nniii. 
Iiakories.  a  small  house  for  the  officers,  baths  and  other  biiildinjis.  The  feed- 
ing stution  consists  of  a  dining  room  accomodating  5()0  peo])le,  a  kitchen 
and  the  commandant's  house  with  adjoining  buildings.  fJardi^ns  have  been 
planted  in  front  of  the  station  and  near  the  houses.  A  churcii  in  hnnnui-  d 
Christ's  Nativity  has  been  erected  at  the  station  out  of  the  Kiupei-oi- Alexan- 
der 111  fund.  Within  a  distance  of  about  a  verst  from  the  station,  a  fin(>  two- 
stnreved  iuiilding  containing  a  technical  railwav  sclinnl  lias  lireii  imill  in  one 


Landing  place  on  the  Amur  (phot,  by  Matslievich). 


of  the  new  ipiarters  of  thi>  town,  according-  to  the  same  plan  as  that  id' 
Krasnoyarsk.  A  wooden  house  for  the  inspector  and  nlher  nftii-ials  isallaclird 
to  the  school. 

The  plati-au  i>n  which  the  station  stands  is  :!(i  sa/.hens  alin\i'  ilv  Inw- 
■  water  mark  on  the  .\niiir.  .V  branch  line,  .'>  versts  in  length,  runs  from  the 
station  to  the  landing  idace  on  the  Amur.  This  branch  skirts  the  town  on 
the  north,  winding  its  course  along  a  slope,  and  approaches  the  river  at  a 
place  where  it  is  protected  from  the  pressure  of  the  tide  by  the  clitl,  on 
which  stands  the  monument  to  Count  Muraviov-Amursky. 

The  landing  jihice  |)resents  a  wide  eml)ankment.  rising  to  a  height  nf 
O.HO  sazhens  al)ove  the  high  water  mark  and  of  4  sazhens  above  low-water. 
It  is  connected  with  the  town  by  a  carriage  road  made  at  the  same  time  as 
the  railway. 

\t  a  short  distance,  is  the  old  port  .serving  in  winter  fur  the  anchorage 
of  steamers  plying  on  the  Ami'ir  and  belonging  to  a  steamship  conii)any. 

Someway  up  the  river  stands  a  water-tank  with  a  res<>rvoir,  sujiplying 
the  station  with  water.  The  aipiediict  is  2'  -'  ver.sts  buiir  and  traversing  the 
town  reaches  the  Military  Hill. 

From  the  station  of  Khabarovsk,  the  line  runs  southwards  at  a  distance 
of  2  to  4  versts  from  the  hank  of  the  Ussi'iri. 

2)  Siding'  of  KrSsnaya  Rechka  (Red  River mt?  v.l.  From  here  a  branch- 
line,  (■>•  J  versts  in  length,  reaches  the  landing  idace  on  the  I'ssuri.  l)iiib  liav- 
ing  been  estaldished  by  the  East  Chinese  Kailwa.\ . 

Leaving  the  siding,  the  line  retires  from  the  Ussuri,  and  running  through 
a   continuous   tai.ga    composed  mainly  of  cedar  trees,   with  some  specimens 


448 


OUIDE    TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


atlainiiiii-  2  arshins  diainctiM-  at  tlir  i-dot,  iir(H'eccls  In  thu  sdiilh.  winiiiiii;-  its 
course  amidst  a  scries  of  elevations.  On  its  way  to  the  Korfovskaya  station,  tlie 
line  crosses  the  Khekzir  rifitce,  which  is  a  spur  of  the  main  mountain  ridge, 
the  Sikhote  Ahn.  This  ridge  is  of  a  volcanic  nature  and  consists  of  separate 
conical  elevations.  Skirting  one  of  them,  the  lino  passes  along  the  valleys 
of  the  Krasnaya  and  Chfrka,  tributaries  of  the  Ussiiri. 

3)  KdrCovskaya,  V  class  station  (tiSO  v.).  The  Cossack  settlement  of  Kor- 
sakov  lies  on  the  I  ssuri  within  IS  versts  of  the  station,  and  was  founded 
in  1858  ti)op.  180). 

Between  this  station  and  the  .siding  of  Kruglikov,  the  line  continues 
through  the  taiga,  which  here  receives  an  admixture  of  larch;  at  the  671 
verst,  it  crosses  the  Chirka  by  a  bridge  of  20  sazhens. 

4)  Sidingof  KrUg'likov  (668  v.).  The  village  of  Kazakevich  lies  M  versts 
hence,  founded  in  1S5S  and  named  in  honour  of  Kazakevich.  member  of  the 
.Vmur  expedition  (.pop.  300).  The  village  contains  two  wooden  churches  con- 
secrated to  our  Lady  of  Kazan  and  St.  Nicholas  the  Miracle-Worker,  school, 
post  and  telegraph  office,  and  village  board. 

Prom  here,  the  line  runs  across  a  swampy  countrx  intersected  by 
many  rivers. 

5)  Dukhovskdya.  V  class  station  (653  v.j.  From  this  station  to  the  siding 
of  Khor,  the  line  assumes  a  south-western  direction,  approaching  the  Ussuri 
and  within  3  versts  of  the  station  crosses  the  river  Kiya  by  a  wooden  bridge 
with  a  span  of  120  sazhens. 


B^^ 

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WnwyuTivni! 

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B 

''I'l'SlI)  JjjK 

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gg|g 

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m  . 

BBMRgf i»'t^y4;-,:  *  "fc^M 

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Bridge  over  the  Kiya  (phot,  by  Matskevich). 


The  I'iver  !uy;i.  ('hinese  Tsininn-klir.  riglu  aftlueiii  of  tiie  t'ssuri,  rises 
in  the  branches  of  the  Sikhote  Alin.  It  has  a  total  course  of  1.50  versts  and 
a  breadth  varying  from  15  to  25  sazhens;  the  river  is  scantly  jtrovided  with 
water,  but  is  practicable  for  rafts.  Since  the  construction  df  the  railway, 
numerous  settlements  have  been  estal)lislied  along  its  banks  among  which 
(lie  Sergievo-Mikhailovsk  ])ossesses  already  a  church  and  is  thriving  well, 
thanks   to  the  .good  contingent  of  settlers  and  the  high  qualities  of  the  soil. 

Tile  settlement  of  Pere.\as]avl,  extending  down  tlie  Kiya,  looks  forward 
to  future  i)rosperity.  The  locality  adjoining  tlie  right  bank  of  the  Kiya,  is 
most  favourable  for  cultivation.  The  vegetation  is  represented  liy  oak 
groves  scattered  along  the  high  l)aiik.  alternating  with  ojien  s])aces,  affording 
beautiful  hay  employed  to  supply  Khaliar('ivsk.  alsn  fit  for  rultivatimi. 


THE  rsSURI   RAILWAY. 


449 


Within  27  v.  of  Iiukhovskaya,  the  Cossack  suUleinent  of  Cherniiiuvsk  is 
siuiated  on  the  left  hank  of  the  Kiya:  it  was  founded  in  1H70  (pop.  50). 

6)  Siding  of  Khor  ((545  v.).  Between  Khor  and  the  station  of  Dorniidon- 
tovka.  the  lin(>  still  runs  southwest  approaehini:  the  L'ssiiri.  .\t  the  {i:W  vei-st. 
it  crosses  tiie  river  !\hor  l)y  an  imn  bi'idire  lueasurinj;  UM)  sazhens.  and  fur- 
ther the  Podkhorionok  by  a  wooden  bridice  of  80  sazhens. 

The  river  Khor  is  one  of  the  largest  and  full  flowing  right  tributaries  of 
the  Ussiiri,  rising  in  the  slopes  of  the  Sikhote  Alin.  The  length  of  its  cour.se 


■»gT«T^»CS 

i^' 

^Bl^^^ 

t^wjHKlEn 

mgWIA'..'^:. 

""'t^Mr 

mzii^M 

i^i^'^'' 

wt 

Bfissyii^ 

^at/jM 

BH 

^ 

w^^M 

Briage  over  the  Khor  (phot,  by  Matskivich). 


is  about  H5n  versts,  its  breadth  from  50  to  60' sazhens;  it  has  a  depth  of  I':; 
to  13  feet  and  falls  into  the  I'ssuri  by  three  branches.  The  bridge  over  the 
Khor,  with  4  spans  of  40  sazhens  each,  is  the  most  important  construction 
on  the  Ussi'iri  railway,  which  was  attended  with  many  difficulties  preseiili'd 
by  the  turbulent  stream,  subjected  to  fre(|uent  and  unexpected  overtlnws. 
An  inscription  is  engraved  on  one  of  the  piers  shewing  that  the  construction 
of  the  bridge  extended  over  the  period  between  the  10  January  and  the 
14  May  in  1807.  exclusive  of  the  preliminary  work.  During  the  construct  inn  of 
the  bridge,  a  considerable  settlement  was  temporarily  established  there,  part 
of  which  became  permanent. 

The  contractor  Krylov,  who  was  entrusted  with  the  masonry  work,  erect- 
ed a  church,  thus  creating  a  new  village.  The  remaining  part  of  the  Khor 
valley  is  inhabited  by  Chinese  living  in  a  few  huts,  and  by  about  loo  Oro- 
chen  families. 

The  Cossack  settlement  of  the  Three  Saints  is  situated  at  a  distance  of 
23  versts  on  the  Ussiiri  and  was  founded  at  the  beginning  of  the  sixties 
(pop.  .30).  The  valleys  of  the  rivers  Kiya.  Khor  and  Podkhorionok  arc  parted 
by  low  and  sloping  watersheds.  iKiring  high-water  time,  part  of  the  water 
of  the  Khnr  llnws  nvi>r  info  the  Kiya  at  the  point  called  Tabon. 

7)  Dormiddntovka.  Vcla.ss  station  ((527  v.).  Is  situated  within  lo  versts 
of  the  I'ssuri  and  11  versts  from  the  Cossack  settl(>ment  of  Kiikelev.  named 
in  honour  of  B.  K.  Kiikel,  one  of  Count  Muraviov-Amiirsky's  fellow  workers, 
who  later  on  was  chief  of  the  staff"  in  the  ?]ast  Siberian  military  district. 
The  settlement  was  foimded  in  1859.  and  stands  on  the  Ussiiri  (pup.  2.')0). 
There  is  a  chapel  in  honour  of  the  ^^al•tyr  .Saint  Catherine. 

From  the  station  of  Itormidontovka  to  the  siding  of  Kr.'isiisk,  thf  line 
follows  a  south-western  direction,  and  after  having  crossed  the  Podkhoriiuiok 


450 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


by  a  wiHiilcii  liridge,  t'lilrrs  iiilu  a  iiuirc  limkrii  cnimtrs    cnxcriNl   with  woods 
allernatiiiii:  with  iiioailows. 

8)  Sidin.i:  of  Kr^sitsk  ((il4),  Tli(>  post  station  and  tiic  rui-incr  Cossack 
village  of  Budogosskaya  lie  at  a  distance  of  18  versts:  the  latter  wtis  founded 
in  18n9  and  named  in  honour  of  Budogosski,  ("nlonel  of  the  (ieneral  Staff 
and  member  of  the  Amur  expedition. 

Between  this  siding  and  the  statimi  of  Viazcinskaya,  the  line  pnxTods 
through  a  countr,\-  nf  a  like  character,  l)ut  marked  by  a  more  frocpicnt 
admixture  of  foliage  trees,  .such  as  aspen,  l)irch  and  others;  it  continues  in 
the  same  south-western  direction,  ai)proaching  closer  to  the  Ussuri. 

9)  Vi^zemskaya.  Hi  class.  Bufl'et  (506  v.).  Is  the  most  important  sta- 
tion on  the  Xorth-Ussuri  section;  it  is  provided  with  a  depot  for  locomotives 
and  small  workshops.  Here  also  are  situated  liarracks  for  a  company  of  the 
railway  battalion  of  the  same  dimensions  as  at  Khaban'ivsk.  .\  wooden  church 
in  honour  of  St.  Nicholas  the  Miracle-\\'orker  and  of  the  Holy  Virgin  Mary 
is  in  jirocess  of  construction  at  the  station,  at  the  cost  of  the  Emperor  Alex- 
anfier  HI  fund.  .\  new  settlement  has  arisen  on  the  extensive  and  open 
plain  lying  close  to  the  station.  Within  14  versts  of  the  station,  the  Cossack 
village  of  Veniukovo  is  situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ussuri;  it  was 
founded  in  18.i9  and  named  in  honour  of  Second  Captain  Veniukov.  who  was 


station  of  Viazeniskaya  (phot,  by  Matskcvich) 


then  exploring  the  Ussiiri  (pop.  S^2,  19,S  males.  1,59  females).  The  village  pos- 
sesses a  wooden  church  of  Christ's  Nativity,  a  school  and  a  post  and  tele- 
graph office.  From  the  station  of  Viazemskaya.  the  line  continues  to  the 
south-west  gradually  approachin.s  the  Ussuri;  near  the  station  of  Ilovaiskaya. 
it  runs  through  its  v;dley  at  a  distance  of  only  S  versts  from  the  river. 

10)  Ilovaiskaya.  V  class  station  (.^JTSv.).  This  station  received  its  name 
ill  honour  of  on(>  of  the  victims  of  the  hard  life  led  by  the  surveyors  and 
const  ructiu-s  of  the  railway,  the  young  ami  energetic  Engineer  Ilovaisky.  who 
having  been  obliged  to  live  in  a  damj)  earthen  hut.  fell  ill  of  fever  and  died. 
His  grave  is  in  the  churchyard  of  Veniukovo. 

The  landing  place  of  Shchebenchikha  is  situated  on  tlie  Ussiiri.  •'!  versts 
from  the  station. 

From  this  |ioint,  the  countr,\  changes  suiidenl,\.  \n  impeuotrable  taiua. 
formed  by  all  the  representatives  of  the  varied  arboreal  flora,  covers  the  hilly 
surface  cut  by  deep  ravines.  Side  by  side  with  tlie  ..ccilar"  occur  larch,  alder, 


THE  USSl'RI  RAILWAY. 


451 


ma|ili'.  willuw.  elm,  cork-tree,  acacia,  walnut  and  other  .species,  thickly  ciivcrcd 
with  wild  vine  and  siiiTonnded  by  .shrulis  of  wild-rose,  jasmine  etc. 

11)   Sidin.i:   of  G^dike   (.ifiS  v.).   The  Co.s.sack  settlement   of  Kedrovsky 
founded  in  IS.Vtis  situated  on  theUssuri  at  a  distance  of  10  verstsipop.  isoi. 


Cutting  at  the  562  vcrst  (phot,  by   Matskcvich). 


Between  the  sidintrs  of  fiedike  and  Suiirski.  the  line  pa.sses  through  a 
more  broken  and  hilly  locality.  rei|uiring  many  hridijes  and  culverts  and 
cros.ses  it.s  highest  point,  the  watershed  of  the  rivers  Shchehenchikha  and 
Kameniikha,  lying  ti'Mri  sazhens  above  sea-level.  The  line,  always  running 
south-west,  winds  its  course  along  the  mountain  slope.  At  the  summit  of  the 
second  important  spur  of  the  Sikhott!'  .\lin.  numerous  cuttings  had  to  be  made 
in  the  rocks:  the  location  of  the  roadway  at  their  bottom  and  at  the  top  of 
embankments  was  attended  with  the  greatest  difficulties  ever  encountered 
on  the  North-l'ssuri  line.  A  pictures<|ue  panorama  of  distant  mountain  ranges 
appears  over  the  thick  vegetation  bordering  the  railway  track. 

12)  Siding  of  Sn^rsky  (547  v.).  Within  a  few  versts  of  the  siding,  the 
line  leaves  the  intricacies  of  the  mountainous  locality  and  runs  through  a 
more  level  district  amidst  aspen  and  birch  groves,  which  by  its  character 
recalls  the  central  zone  of  European  Russia.  Upon  approaching  the  station 
of  Rosengartovka,  the  line  crosses  the  marshy  valley  of  the  river  T6])kaya 
and  the  border  of  the  Ussuri  valley. 

The  Cossack  settlements  of  Sherenn-tev  and  Vidny  (pop.  2(ki  and  W) 
established  in  18.5S.  are  .situated  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Ussiiri  at  a  distance 
of  l.i  versts.  The  former  contains  a  chapel  of  St.  Innocent  of  Irkutsk. 

13)  Rozeng^rlovka.  V  class  station  (5.37  v.).  The  Cossack  settlement 
of  I.onchakovsk  lies  within  0  versts  on  the  right  lofty  bank  of  the  Ussiiri:  it 
was  founded  in  lS,V.t  (iioj).  476: 'ijti  males.  24<i  females).  There  are  two  chajiels, 
one  of  the  .\rchangel  Michael  in  the  village,  and  the  other  of  the  Holy  Pro- 
phet Klias.  standing  on  a  cone  4  versts  above  this  place.  The  occupations  of 

28a 


452 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


llic  inlialiitants  Ix'siilcs  an'i'ii'iilliirr  consist  in  ihc  sii|i|ilyiim' nf  sliMnicrs  with 
tiiiilici'  ami  in  Hshin.u;. 

Within  two  versts  of  the  station,  the  line  crosses  the  riM'i'  Hira  by  an 
ii-nn  bridiio  with  an  opening  of  25  sazhons,  and  retiring  Irmn  the  Usstiri 
ascends  to  the  tliird  smniiiit  which  has  nearly  the  same  height  as  the 
Khekhtsirsk  ridge.  This  summit  is  not  cnt  by  so  many  ravines  and  is  less 
thickly  cloth(Hl  witli  taiga. 

14)  Siding  of  Beitsilkha  (.")lt')  v.).  Hence  the  line  continues  through  tlie 
swampy  valle,\  uf  the  Beitsilkha  running  along  its  left  bank  to  the  station 
of  Jiikin. 

The  village  of  Kozlovskaya  is  witliin  l(i  versts,  establislu'd  on  the  right 
bank  of  the  I'ssiiri  in  1S.')9  (i)op.  589).  It  possesses  a  wooden  church  of  St. 
Nicholas  the  Miracle-\\'orker,  a  school,  village  board,  grain  stores  and  a  post 
and  telegraph  office.  The  inhabitants  are  engaged  in  agriculture,  trai)ping, 
fishing  and  supplying  the  steamers  with  timber. 


station  of  Bikiu  (pilot,  uy  IvlatbkevicliJ. 


!■'>)  Bikln.  I\'  class  station.  Huflet  (4!)n  v.).  Near  the  station,  which  lUir^ 
ing  the  construction  of  the  railway  iiresented  one  of  the  most  lively  centres 
of  activity,  arose  a  temporary  settlement,  part  of  which  became  permanent. 
On  the  opposite  siile  of  the  Hikin,  freshly  emigrated  Orenburg  Cossacks 
established  a  village,  and  now  most  successfully  lu'oupy  themselves  with 
the  cultivation  of  the  land.  The  banks  of  the  Bikin  present  a  locality,  which 
within  the  confines  of  the  Ussiiri  region  is  particularly  favourable  for  colonisat- 
ion as  possessing  a  raftai)le  and  even  navigable  river  (tlie  steamers  plied  for 
a  distance  of  40  versts  upwards  from  the  mouth  during  the  construction  of 
the  railway),  without  having  the  inconveniences  of  the  other  large  affluents 
of  the  Ussiiri,  which  several  times  during  the  summer  overflow  the  valleys 
to  a  considerable  extent.  The  Bikin  rolls  its  waves  between  terraces  inac- 
cessible to  the  water,  lying  at  the  foot  of  steep  mountains  surrounding 
the  valle\-. 

Leaving  tln'  station,  the  line  crosses  the  iiikin  at  the  41)5  verst  by  an 
iron  bridge  with  two  spans  and  a  total  length  of  80  sazhens. 

The  river  Bikin,  right  tributary  to  the  Ussiiri,  rises  in  the  main  range 
of  the  Sikhote  Alin,  in  proximity  to  the  Sea  of  .lapan.  The  length  of  its 
coursi>  is  450  versts,  its  breadth  varies  from  tio  to  HO  sazhens,  tin'  av(M-age 
depth  from  5  to  '.)  feet.  The  mountains  bordering  the  ui)per  waters  of  the 
river  are  clothed  with  luxuriant  forests  of  foliage  trees  and  conifera,  offering 


! 


THE  USSCRI  RAILWAY. 


453 


shelter  to  .sal)lf.  which  attract  the  natives  of  the  I'ssiiri  ami  the  Annir.    De- 
pnsits  of  coal  occur  alonu;  the  let^  bank. 

The  settlement  of  Vasilievsk  is  situated  l.'i  versts  from  the  .station  on  the 
rliiht  bank  of  the  Hikin  at  its  Junction  with  the  Issuri;  it  was  founded  in 
isrt2  (pop.  ISO).  The  Pokrovsk  settl.Mti.ni  stands  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Bikin  (pop.  70). 


Bridge  over  the  B;k;n  (p.'isu  oy  Mito^ievicnj. 

After  havinu'  crossed  this  river,  the  line  -runs  along  the  left  bank,  follow- 
ing a  .southern  direction  to  the  467  verst.  This  is  one  of  the  mo.st  pidur- 
esipie  parts  of  the  line,  offering  an  alpine  .scenery.  At  times  rocky  dirts 
come  up  close  to  the  river  and  the  line  creeps  along  a  cornice  cut  in  the 
movintain.  The  cuttings  made  in  basalt  rocks  seem  to  be  protected  by  col- 
umns of  c.vclopean  construction.  Wide  expanses  lying  amid.st  the  dirts  are 
covered  with  a  most  various  vegetation,  shading  numerous  Chinese  huts. 
The  river  is  enlivened  by  the  small  boats  of  the  Golds  and  other  natives, 
moving  swiftly  on  the  water's  surface. 

The  saw-mill  of  the  merchant  Briner  is  situated  here.  Amid  the  wild  and 
beautiful  scenery,  it  pi-esents  comjiaratively  a  certain  animation. 

Itt)  Siding  of  Alch^n  |477  v.).  Hence  to  the  station  of  Hochiirova,  tin- 
line  runs  in  nearly  a  straight  line  south-west  along  the  liank  nf  the  Bikin 
and  continuing  by  the  swampy  valley  of  the  Kiiemkhez. 

17)  Bochdrova.  V  class  station  (464  v.).  The  Cossack  .settlement  of 
Zarubinsk  is  situated  at  a  distance  of  20  versts,  on  the  river  I'ssuri:  it  was 
founded  in  1862. 

The  line  i)roceeds  in  the  same  s.iuth-western  direction,  leaving  on  the 
right  the  Zarubinsk  mountain  group,  and  cmsses  the  swampy  valleys  uf  the 
affluents  of  the  Lssiiri. 

1«)  Siding  of  Chdrny  (436  v.).  The  Nizhnemikhailovsk  settlement  is 
within  14  versts,  on  the  bank  of  the  Ussiiri  (jiop.  70).  The  line  ke^-ps  ti>  the 
former  directinn  appi-oaching  the  I'ssiiri  through  the  valley  of  this  river. 

10)  Kurdiiimovka.  V  class  station  (42«i  v.).  A  fresh  settlement  has 
been  established  near  the  station  by  the  Orenburg  Cossacks.  The  post  sta- 
tion of  Krutobi'rezhnaya  is  situated  12  versts  hence,  on  the  low  bank  of  the 
Ussuri,  where  a  village  was  founded  in  1S5J),  but  after  an  inundation  its 
inhabitants  passed  over  to  the  adjoining  villages. 


454 


GUCDE  TO  THE  GREAT  .SIBKRIAN  RAILWAY. 


Tlir  line  proccods  south-west  aldiiii  the  Ussi'iri  valluy,  lirsl  rrtii-iiii;-  Irnm 
the  river  and  then  approachinir  it  again:  al  tiie  sidinir  of  Ehei'hartit  the 
distance  between  the  line  and  the  river  is  reduced  to  somewhat  over 
a  verst. 

20)  Sidins  of  Eberhardt  (899  v.).  The  settleiuent  of  Kniazhevsi<  lies  at 
a  distance  of  6  versts  on  thi^  Cssuri  and  was  founded  in  lsti2  ipop.  90).  With- 
in 2  versts  of  the  rail\va,\',  eniiu-rated  I.)on  Cossacks  estahlisiuHl  the  hamlet 
of  Salsky.  The  line  continues  along  the  valley  of  the  Ussuri,  running  almost 
at  the  same  distance  from  the  latter,  and  at  the  389  verst  crosses  its  tribu- 
tary the  Iman  by  an  iron  bridge  of  120  sazhens.  At  the  time  of  high  water, 
the  Iman  submer.ges  an  extent  of  over  5  versts,  its  current  bein.g  very  un- 
steady on  account  of  the  soft  bottom.  The  construction  of  the  railway 
through  this  valley  was  attended  with  the  greatest  technical  difficulties, 
and  required  solid  strengthening  and  water-averting  erections,  particularly 
on  the  left  inu't  of  the  river. 


I 


Bridge  over  the  Iman  (phot,  by  Matskevich). 


The  river  Iiikui  or  Ima.  ('hines('  ima-kh('.  which  is  aright  Irilmtary  of  ihe 
Ussuri,  rises  in  the  Sikhott'  Ali'n  and  joins  the  Ussuri  4  versts  below  the 
settlement  of  Grafsky.  Its  total  length  is  about  375  versts,  with  a  breadth 
of  60  to  70  sazhens.  which  at  the  mouth  widens  to  120  sazhens.  The  average 
depth  is  6  feet.  The  upper  waters  of  this  river  flow  along  a  narrow  valley 
fringed  by  mountains,  whereas  the  central  and  lower  reaches  pass  through 
an  open  plain  endowed  with  a  good  soil  fit  for  cultivation.  The  valley  and 
the  surrounding  mountains  contain  many  superior  and  varied  tree  species. 
Here  also  occur  remains  of  former  settlements,  which  were  little  Korean 
fortified  towns.  The  station  of  Iman  is  situated  3  versts  from  the  bridge. 

21)  Iman.  \'  class  station  (387  v.).  Close  by  is  the  Grafsky  or  Count's 
settlement,  standing  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Iman.  It  was  founded  in  IS.iH 
and  received  its  name  in  honour  of  Count  Muraviov-Ami'irsky.  In  1895  to 
1897,  previous  to  the  oi)ening  of  traffic  on  the  North-Ussuri  line,  the  station 
of  Iman  was  the  terminus  of  the  South  I'ssuri  line,  which  here  joined  the 
Ussuri  and  Amur  water  systems. 

A  branch,  1'  -■  versts  in  length,  connects  the  station  with  the  landing 
sta.ge  lui  the  liii:in.  This  stage  served  as  a  principal  base  durin.ir  the  con- 
struction   of   the    .\orth-Ussiiri    seiMion,  whence  materials  an<l  produce  were 


THE  USSURl  RAILWAY. 


455 


forwarded  td  Khaban'ivsk  and  dopositcMl  at  the  landiiii.'-iilar('s  almii;  the  I'ssiiri 
for  fui'Ihcr  cnnvcN  an<-i'  alonir  tho  lini'  Kails,  ridlinir  slock  and  otlici'  railway 
a[)plianci's  ai-c  loaded  here  and  forwarded  Uy  .sea  throiiirli  \la(li\  nslnl;  in 
sii])|d.\   the  demand  of  the  Transhaik.-il  railwa.v. 


Landing  stage  on  the  Im^n  (phot,  by  Matskevich). 


This  litth-'  known  place,  which  prior  to  1;S!)4  was  (inite  uninhabited,  be- 
came at  once  the  centre  of  great  animation.  Within  the  space  of  a  few- 
months,  arose  a  settlement  with  hotels  and  shops,  inns  and  a  row  of  houses, 
to  which  a  Chinese  village  forms  a  suburb  bearing  the  name  of  C'iiitVi  from 
that  of  the  town  whence  come  the  greater  number  of  Chinese  workmen. 

This  point  was  selected  for  a  dockyard  for  the  construction  of  steamers, 
barges  and  dredgers,  which  are  erected  by  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  Com- 
munication as  well  as  by  private  concerns  and  individuals;  it  is  at  present 
occupied  with  building  steamers  for  the  East  Chinese  Railway.  If  the  rail 
communication  somewhat  diminished  the  importance  id'  lm;in  as  a  transferr- 
ing point,  the  new  settlement,  ow'ing  to  its  favourable  situation,  may  still 
look  forward  to  develoj)  into  a  town,  jiartly  on  account  of  tlie  trodps  located 
in  the  neighbouring  settlement  of  Gnifsky,  which  is  extending  in  ilie  dii-ection 
of  l)nan.  At  the  station  of  Inuin  are  situated  the  8-d  com|)any's  yard  of  the 
Ussuri  railway  battalion,  and  a  feeding  station  for  passing  troops. 

22)  Muravidv-Amiirsky.  V  class  station.  Buffet  (377  v.). 

.V  settlement  arose  gradually  near  the  station  during  the  construction 
of  the  railw^ay.  In  1806,  fresh  emigrants  repi-esented  by  Orenburg  Cossacks 
were  added  to  it.  X  wooden  church  of  John  the  Bai)tist  is  being  l)uilt  here 
out  of  the  Emperor  .\lexander  III  fund 

Within  0  versts,  the  settlement  of  Krasnoyarsk  stands  on  the  I'ssiii'i, 
containing  a  church,  a  post  and  telegraph  office  and  schoid  (pop.  Kk)). 

Between  the  station  of  .\luravi(jv-.\miirsky  and  that  of  Pi-okhasko,  the 
line  runs  south  along  the  valley  of  the  I'ssiiri  through  a  locality  covered 
with  scanty  woods  of  foliage  trees,  and  at  the  302  verst  passes  by  the  siding 
of  Bussi'. 

2'!)  Prokh^sko.  \'  class  station  (H.io  v.i.  Proceeding  in  the  same  direct- 
ion along  the  lotty  i)lateau  of  the  Ussuri  valley,  the  line  crosses  this  river 
at    the   •'52S   verst  by    an    iron    bridge    120  sazhens  long  and  reaches  the  left 


45(> 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Iiiw    l)iink    or   the  rivor.  At  a  distance  of  a  vcrst  fi-oiii  tin-  liridirc  is  tho  I's- 
si'iri  stalinii. 


General  view  of  the  Muravibv-Amursky  station  (phot,  by  Matskdvich). 

24)  Ussiiri.  I\'  clas.s  station,  buft'et  (327  vor.).  In  1>S95  —  1897.  omisi- 
rant.s  estahlisln'i!  t'rosh  sottlomonts  nonr  the  station  on  botli  sides  of  tli(^ 
I'ssuri. 

Fi'oin  the  I'ssuri  station,  tlie  line  assumes  a  south-western  course,  re- 
taining the  same  direction  to  thi»  station  of  .\il<61skaya.  and  enters  the  vast 
steppe  plain  constituting  the  so-called  Prilchankoisli  depression. 

It  is  supposed  that,  at  a  remote  date,  the  level  of  Lake  Khanka  was  much 
higher   than   at    present,   and   that  conseiiuently  this  depression  formed  the 


Bridge  over  the  Ussiiri. 


bottom  of  tiie  lake.  At  times  duriuii-  a  rain.v  year,  the  whole  locality  gets  trans- 
formed into  an  immense  water-basin,  as  the  rain-water  reih-es  but  slowly  from 
the  surface  of  the  slightly  inclined  slopes,  being  retained  by  the  clayey  sub- 
soil. This  fact  was  observed  in  1895.  On  account  of  the  frecjui-nt  stagnation 
of  the  water,  the  whole  surface  of  the  plain  is  dotted  with  hillocks,  thus 
recalling  a  swamp  in  spring  and  autumn,  whicli  only  in  the  summer  is 
clothed    by  a    luxuriant    herbncemis  ve-retation.  The  blooiuinic  meadows  look 


I 


THE  USSURl  RAILWAY. 


45; 


very  enticinc  but.  on  atteniptinir  to  lutss  llu-m,  one  is  utterly  exhausted 
after  a  siiaee  ot"  a  few  sazliens  l)y  junii>iiVir  from  one  liiUoek  to  tlie  other. 
It  is  proposed  to  drain  this  i>lain,  which  will  then  l)e  converted  intoacultiv- 
abh'"  area,  bein^'  endowed  with  a  most  fertile  st>il. 

2.'))  Shmdkovka.  V  class  station  (293  v.).  On  the  hilly  elevation  border- 
inir  the  Issiiri  valley,  the  first  monastery  of  the  reirion.  consecrated  to  the 
Holy  Trinity,  was  founded  in  ISStj  It  now  attracts  a  srreat  number  of  pili;rims. 
New  buildiniis  arise  around  and  the  lands  allotted  to  its  use  are  bein;:  cul- 
tivated. In  the  vicinity,  carbonic  and  chalybeate  sprinjis  have  been  discov- 
ered at  the  foot  of  the  Medvezhia  Sopka.  which  are  to  be  exploited  in  the 
future.  \t  a  distance  of  2.t  versts  from  the  station,  the  villaiice  of  I'spenskoe 
is  situated  on  the  I'ssuri  (pop.  (588.  .-((iti  males  and  •'522  females).  From  the 
station  of  Shnuikovka  tn  lliat  of  Svia.ijino.  the  line  follows  the  swamiiy  plain. 

26)  Svi^gino.  \'  class  station  (,2,')t)  v.).  The  lar,ire  villa.ue  of  Zenkovka 
lies  close  to  the  station  (pop.  890;  484  males  and  4t)C  females). 

From  Sviairino  the  line  winds  its  course  aloni:  the  broken  branches  of 
the  elevations  separatini:  the  valley  of  Lake  Khank;i  from  that  of  the  [>aubi- 
kht'  river. 

27)  Sp^sskaya.  IN'  class  station.  butVet  (224  v.).  The  villa.ueof  thesame 
name,  founded  in  1886.  stands  near,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Santa-Kheza 
(pop.  1086,  .599  males  and  4S7  females).  All  the  inhabitants  are  exclusively 
enjrasced  in  a.irriculture.  The  villa.iie  contains  a  wooden  church,  a  church  iiar- 
ish  school  and  6  tradinu:  establishments. 

From  the  Spasskaya  station,  the  general  character  of  the  locality  ad,join- 
in.s  the  railway  changes  visibly.  Cultivated  fields  are  scarcely  seen  through- 
out the  section  lying  between  Khabarovsk  and  Siiasskaya.  The  villages 
occiiring  are  still  in  process  of  organisation  and  |)resent  rare  oases  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  stations. 

Leaving  the  station  of  Spasskaya.  the  line  enters  a  thickly  settled 
countrv  with  wide   cultivated   areas,  meadows  and  roads  running  in  every 


Bridge  over  tnc  Lclu. 


direction,  the  horizon  dotted  with  villages  built  nl'tei-  the  Little  Russian  style, 
characterised  bv  white-washed  huts. 


458 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


The  South  Ussi'iri  rcuion,  from  X'ladivostok  to  Si);'isskii.va,  was  consider- 
ably settled  l)ofore  the  constriictinii  nf  (he  railway,  hut  within  recent  years 
till'  population  has  increased  and  llir  ciillivati'd  ai'cMs  have  widcni'd. 

From  the  station  of  Spasskaya  to  that  of  Chernii^ovka,  the  line  runs 
alon.a;  the  slopes  surroundini;-  Lake  Khanka  and  further  on  continues  thrniiii-h 
the  valley  of  the  i.efu,  which  falls  into  the  hike. 

28)  Chernlgovka.  V  class  station  (185  v.).  The  vilhiLce  of  the  same 
name  is  situated  near  the  station,  on  the  iipjier  waters  of  the  Chernigovka. 
It  was  created  in  1884,  (pop.  1299.  694  males  and  605  females).  The  village 
contains  a  wooden  church  of  the  Holy  Yir.ifin's  Xativity,  a  public  school,  the 
residence  of  tlie  police  officer,  the  local  board  and  10  shojis.  Close  to  the 
station  stands  a  large  steam-mill  of  the  Ciniimissariat,  supplying  flour  to 
the  Amur  military  district. 

Hence  the  line  proceeds  l)y  the  valley  of  the  Lef'u,  and  at  the  156  verst 
passes  over  this  river  l)y  an  iron  bridge  measuring  38   sazhens. 

29)  Nevelsk^ya.  V  class  station  (147  v.)  The  line  rises  here  to  the 
watersh.MJ  of  Lake  Khankii  basin  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  (.Vmiir  Gulf),  and 
reaching  tlic  highest  point  nt  the  South  L'ssuri  section  (63  sazhens  above  sea 


Station  of  Nevelskdya. 


level)  descends  to  the  valley  of  the  Suifiin  and  through  the  siding  of  Du- 
bininsk,  reaches  the  Xikcdsk  station,  situated  in  the  valley  of  the    Siiifi'in. 

Descending  the  watershed,  the  line  assumes  a  tortuous  course  and 
forms  a  zigzag  on  whiidi  the  rails  are  seen  at  two  and  three  places  at  the 
same  time. 

•■50)  Siding  of  Dubininsk.  (120  v.)  Possesses  a  certain  importance  as  a 
p(tint  connected  by  the  post-road  with  .\nuchino  and  with  settlements  scattered 
in  the  valley  of  r)aubi-kh(',  where  several  regiments  air  iiuartered. 

31 1  Nikblskpe.  Ill  class  station.  Buffet.  (102  v.)  Situated  in  a  steppe-like 
plain,  within  a  verst  of  the  town,  the  principal  station  of  the  I'ssi'iri  railway 
presents  a  separate  town,  which  will  grow  still  fin-ther  when  the  adjoining 
plots  of  land  are  leased  by  the  oflicials. 

A  wooden  (diurch  of  .St.  Nicholas  the  Miracle-Worker  is  attached  to  the 
station,  it  was  erected  by  voluntary  donations  and  out  of  K.  4,000  from  the 
iMnperor  .\lexander  111  fund.  .Vinong  the  station  buildings,  special  attention 
is  due  to  those  containing  large  workshops,  standing  to  the  left  i<(  the  en- 
trance to  the  station    The  m.-iin  buildini:  contains    llie  inacliiner\   and  fitlinir 


THE  rssUIJl  KAII.WW 


45!» 


-ihcips.  a  for;;!'  and  iron  and  copper  Imindrii's  with  all  rcniisito  appliances. 
A  stone  l.uildln.ir  standinir  apart  contain  a  shop  for  the  i)i-eparallon  of  limbei'. 
The  wagiion  fi-aiiiing  shop  is  housed  in  a  wooden  building.  The  total  area 
occupied  by  the  interior  of  the  workshops  covers  110()  siiuai-e  sazhens.  On 
account  of  the  great  distance  at  which  this  region    lies,  and  the  importance 


GcHL-rai  view  of  the  station  of  Nikolsl<oe. 

attached  to  Xikolsk  as  the  Junction  of  the  Kast  Chinese  Railway,  an  extens- 
ive activity  lies  in  store  for  tiiese  workshops,  which  may  possibly  develop 
into  machinery  works.  Hard  by  .stands  a  stnnV  warehouse  in  which  is  stored 
the  material  for  the  I'ssuri    Railway.    On    tin-    (i]ipnsite    end    of   the    plati'au 


Station  of  NiKolsKoe. 


occupied  by  the  station,  to  the  right,  stands  a  stone  engine-house  containinir 
''<  locomotives,  ami  the  wooden  building  of  the  hospital:  on  the  left  rises  an 
'■dilice  containing  the  company's  yard  for  the  L'.ssuri  railway  batalion.  built 
according  to  the  same  style  as  tiiat  of  K'habarovsk  and  at  the  stations  of 
\lazeniskaya  and  Iman.  In  the  centre  of  the  station,  stands  a  stone  water- 
lank:  the  houses  of  the  railway  men,  surrounded  by  little  gardens,  ;ire  situ- 
ated on  both  sides  of  the  line.  The  station  has  a  sni.dl  platform  for  gooils 
Willi  a  warehouse  and  a  weigh-bridge.  The  railway  department  maintains  a 
school  with  two  classes  for  the  emi)loyees'  children:   the    number   of   impils 


4()(» 


(5UIDE   TO  Till-;  GRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


excocds  ()(),  iind  the  (i|iiMiinu  nl' a  Imaniini;'  schdul  is  |ii'(ijrclci|.  Tnwii  nf  Xi- 
ki'ilsk  — I'ssiii'lsk.  'I'hi'  site  nl'  the  town,  wiiii'.h  to  tiic  year  ln'.lS  was  a  villai^o 
lioai-iiiii  th(!  same  name,  presents  a  vast  urassy  jilain  watered  by  tho  Suifiin; 
in  time  long  pa.st  it  offered  slielter  to  various  nations.  This  vast  plain  wit- 
nessed the  peaceful  prosperity  of  its  inhaltitants  a.s  w(dl  as  the  confliets 
whicli  oci-iin-ed  between  the  wari'inK  tril)es  of  the  East. 

A  legend  says  that  here  was  formerly  situated  th(>  kingdom  of  Hoklii'ii, 
to  which  testify  a  few  ruins  preserved  to  the  jiresent  day.  .\t'ter  a  pei-ind  of 
several  centuries,  the  I'lile  of  the  Manchus  took  the  place  of  the  vanished 
kingdom,  but  was  in  turn  destroyed  by  the  iiordes  of  Chingiz-Khan.  At  pre- 
sent this  plain  offers  a  centre  attracting  the  stream    of   Russian    emigration. 

In  1866,  emigrants  from  the  Astrakhan  and  Voronezli  governments,  for- 
ming 19  families,  estafilished  the  Xiki'ilsk  settlement  witliin  2  versts  of  the 
mouth  t\[  the  Siiputenka  at  its  junction  witii  tlie  Kakovka.  In  ISOS,  wlien  tlie 
Khunkhus  were  driven  from  the  Askold  Island  situated  in  proximity  to  \'ladi- 
vostok,  where  they  were  engaged  in  the  rapacious  exploitation  of  gold,  tiicy 
took  vengeance  by  burning  the  Nikolsk  settlement.  When  order  was  restored, 
the  inhaliitants  of  Xikolskoe  returned  again  to  their  fiu-nier  dwellings,  and 
from  that  tinie  the  setth'ment  has  I'eceived  every  year  a  contingent  of  fresh 
emigrants. 

After  a.  space  of  two  years,  in  ls7(),  tlie  church  of  St.  Nicholas  the  Miracle- 
Worker  was  built  and  inaugurated  in  tiie  new  settlement.  .Abundantly  pro- 
vided with  land  adapted  for  agi'iculture.  allotted  for  use  in  the  pro|iiirtion  of 


Bridge  over  the  Suputenka  at  the  99  verst. 

27,999  desiatins  of  arable  and  3,586  desiatins  waste  land,  and  being  situ- 
ated at  the  Junction  of  the  i)rincipal  roads  of  the  South-L'ssuri  region,  the 
settlement  of  Nikolsk  soon  acipiired  a  foremost  inii)ortance  in  the  country, 
in  the  eighties,  it  became  an  important  military  centre,  which  greatly  affect- 
0(1  the  c(nu-se  of  village  life;  a  soldier's  village  was  added  to  the  settlement, 
besides  a  great  niinilier  of  iiiilitai-.\  buildings  and  bouses  foi-  married  otficei-s 
and  officials. 

The  importance  id'  Xiki'dskoe  inci'easeil  still  more  iiimn  the  construction 
of  the  I'ssi'iri  railwa.\-,  and  pafticularly  of  the  ivist  (  binese  line,  which  branch- 
ing off  from  tiie  station  id'  .Xiki'ilskoe  runs  for  a  distatice  of  lOKi'a  versts 
towards  tile  Chinese  frontier,  reacbiiii;'  it  at  the  station  id'  I'ogr,  iiichiiaya. 


THE  llSSUIil  RAILWAY. 


nil 


rounting  the  mmit'i'ims  foreign  olemenl  rimiied  liy  iln'  wniking  elass 
attructetl  tu  Xikulsk  by  employment  on  the  railway,  the  numhcr  of  its  inhab- 
itants amounted  to  !S,y)S'2  (7,(X)7  males  and  l.iiTj  females)  aeeoi-ding  to  the 
census  of  1K97.  Since  the  village  has  i>een  transfoiMiied  into  a  town,  its  popu- 
lation  has  risen  to  15,(XX).  The  town  line  includes  three  churches  and  a  siiuie 
cathedral  in  c(Uirse  (d'  construction.  A  \vood(>n  (duirch  was  erected  nr:ir  the 
station  out  of  the  Emperor  Alexander  III  fund  and  inaugurated  on  ihi-  1(1 
April.  ISHH,  in  honour  of  St.  Xichohis  the  Miiaili'-Wm'ker.  The  town  (■■nii.iiiis 


Suifun  Cliffs. 


a  school  and  a  library  attached  to  the  police  ofllce.  founded  at  the  cost  of 
His  Imperial  Highness,  the  Grand  Duke  Alexis  .\Iexandrovich.  who  visited 
Xikolskoe  in  ls7.'!  on  his  way  from  Vladivostok.  The  first  printinc:  (dlice 
belongiuir  to  .Mrs.  Missiuroi  was  opened  in  lH9it.  The  |)ublicatiiiii  nl'  ,i  news- 
l)aper  containing  advertisements  and  town  gossip  is   contem|dated. 

Representing  the  centre  ot  administration  of  the  entire  South-l'ssuri 
district.  .N'ikolsk  is  the  residence  of  numerous  military  organs:  there  are  the 
residence  of  the  commandant  of  the  troops  of  the  South-l'ssuri  military 
division,  the  staff'  of  the  military  division,  I  East-Siberian  rifle  brigade,  ."J. 
4  and  .5  rifle  batalions.  2  batteries  of  the  East-Siberian  rifle  brigade,  1  mortar 
battery  of  the  East-Siberian  artillerx  brigade,  t'ssuri  cavalry  bi-igade,  and 
first  Transbaikal  Cossack  regiment.  The  troops  dispose  of  a  library  and  a 
military  club. 

Manufactures  and  industrx  in  .Xiki'dsk  icrow  rapidly,  being  represented 
by  some  important  firms  from  Vladivostok  such  as:  Chiirin.  Kunst  and  Albers 
and  Lan^'elitier.  The  Chinese  own  upwards  (d  12(1  little  shops.  The  annual 
commercial  o|)erations  amount  to  a  total  <>(  H.  :i(K»,(j(X).  Trade  in  .tcrain  is 
particularly  lively,  cattle  and  agricultural  produce  being  also  oti'ered  for  sale 
at  the  daily  markets.  Among  the  industrial  establishments,  special  attention 
is  due  to  the  steam  flmir-mill  id'  Lindhulm    situated    near   the    (own.    to    the 


4G2 


GUIDE   TO  Tin-:  GRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


s(iMp-l)()ili'r.v  III'  Moiiiikhnv,  iiiiil  the  distilliTy  oT  I'iiinkijv.  The  town  has  two 
hiili'ls,  IS  inns,  4  hi)t-liatli  housos  and  7  bakei'ics. 

Un  the  22  May,  IKUl.  His  Jni|)erial  Majesty  the  [jivsent  Kni|(fnir  Nii'lmlas 
11.  nu  liis  \va,\    Iroin  the  Far  East,  ari-ived  at  the  village  of  XikoLskne.  havinir 

I n  conveyed  witji  liorses  from  Vladivostok    for   a   distance   of    ItHJ  versts. 

Ilri(^  His  Iniperial  Majesty  held  a  review  of  the  troops  assembled  at  the  place 
of  niiister,  ainon.ii'  which  the  1  East  Siberian  rifle  battalion  was  iiu-huled. 
From  iiere  His  Majesty  continued  his  journey  with  liorses  to  Kameii-Ry- 
bolov,  a  landing  stage  for  steamers  on  Lake  Khanka,  and  on  tho  24  ^lay  went 
down  the  tortuous  course  of  the  Sungach  on  the  Amur  Company's  steamer 
„lngo(hr'.  iiroceeding  further  by  the  Ussiiri  to  the  Amur. 

From  the  station  of  Xikolskoe  and  further  through  the  siding  of  Barii- 
novsk  to  the  Razdolnaya  station  and  to  the  siding  of  Kiparisovo,  the  line 
follows  the  vallo.\'  of  the  Suifun,  running  southwards.  Upon  reaching  the 
S3  and  84  verst,  the  line,  for  a  -distance  of  a  verst,  passes  along  the  abruptl 
and  rocky  bank  of  the  Suifiin  through  a  locality  bearing  the  name  of  Suifun 
or  Bear  (Medvi'zhie)  Cliffs.  This  is  one  of  the  most  picturesi|ue  places  on  the 
South-Ussuri  railway. 

32)  Siding  of  Bardnovsk.  (81  v.).  The  village  of  Trekhovka  is  situated 
in  the  vicinity  on  the  bank  of  the  Suifun  (pop.  125). 

33)  Razd61noe.  V  class  station  (6ti  v.)  The  village  of  the  same  name 
(pop.  355,  1S2  males  and  173  females)  lies  near  the  station  on  the  loft  hank 
of  the  Suifiin,  which  from  here  is  navigable  to  where  it  falls  iiiin  the  soa. 
This  village  was  founded  as  a  military  post  in  18tJ5:  later  on,  jieasants 
emigrated  from  various  governments  of  European  Russia  settled  there.  It 
contains  a  church  of  Our  Lad.\'  of  Kaziin  and    a    cliurch    parish    schoipf    Tlu' 


Station  of  RaEd6lnoe. 

inhabiiants  are  engaged  in  aiiriculture.  There  are  also  barracks  of  the  1  East- 
Siberian  rifle  batalion,  residence  of  the  police  officer,  post  statiim.  landing 
place,  post  and  telegraph  office,  and  several  shops.  The  barracks  of  the 
Ussuri  dragoon  regiment  are  situated  in  the  environs.  Froiii  this  xillaire  ;i 
post-road  leads  to  I'dssii'-t   l-Jay. 

341  Siding"  of  Kiparisovo  (.')4  v.).  From  hm'  the  line  turns  east,  leav- 
ing the  valley  of  the  Suifiin  and  rising  to  th(>  elevation  separating  the 
Suifun  from  the  Uglovoi  Bay.  This  altitude  is  thickly  clothed  with  wood,  con- 
sisting mainly  of  oak-trees.  This  is  one  of  the  principal  points  whence  the 
railway  is  supplied  with  timber.  The  coast  land  with  its  rocky  cliffs  offers 
but  few  ex|ianses  tit  for  cultivation,  and  b(\vond  th(^  station  nf  Razdolnoe. 
till-  ciumirx   assumes  again  a  mori'  desert  and  inhnspitalile  charactei'. 


m 


THE  USSIKI   RAILWAY.  463 

:i'>l  Nadezhdinskaya.  \'  class  station.  Buflet  (42  v.).  Following  a  south- 
eastprn  diroi-tion.  tlic  lint"  rcai'lies  I'tclovoi  Bay,  and  tiirninir  to  the  south  conlin- 
uos  alimg  the  coast  of  the  sea.  skirtinir  r,irlov(M  ami  fiii'theron  the  Amur  (inlf. 

3()i  Khilkdvo  i\9  v.i.  This  station,  situateil  on  the  i>eninsula  of  Mur.i- 
viov— .\nuirsky,  received  its  name  in  honour  of  Prince  M.  1.  Khilkov,  Minister 
of  Ways  of  Communication.  The  post  station  lying  in  the  vicinity,  the  first 
from  Vladivostok,  was  the  point  to  which  on  the  22  May,  1801,  military  and 
naval  officers,  as  well  as  representatives  of  the  town  of  Vladivostiik  accom- 
imnied  the  Imperial  Traveller,  the  present  l-lmperor  Xicholas  11,  wishing  Him 
a  ha])py  jom-ney  across  Great  Siberia. 

In  the  locality  adjoining  the  railway,  deposits  of  coal  have  been  discover- 
ed, which  have  been  exploited  by  Engineer  (lorlov  and  also  by  order  of  the 
railway  administration,  the  coal  being  emjiloyed  as  fuel  for  the  engines. 

•iT)  Seddnka  (U>  v.).  The  picturesipie  valley  of  the  Sedanka  is  the  sum- 
mer resort  of  tiie  inhabitants  of  Vladivostok.  Here  is  situated  the  match 
manufactory  of  Suviirov. 

aS)  Siding:  or  P^rvaya  Rechka  (av,).  According  to  the  previous  plan, 
A  large  station  was  to  have  been  built  at  this  point,  serving  as  terminus  to 
the  I'ssuri  railway,  with  a  branch  connecting  if  with  the  town  and  the  land- 
ing stage.  Later  on,  the  brancii  line  was  champed  into  a  main  ti-ack,  and 
the  terminus  station  built  in  the  town  itself:  a  steei>  grade  of.Ol.T  was  adopted 
throughout  this  section,  over  which  the  train  is  hauled  by  an  additional  en- 
gine, awaiting  its  arrival  on  a  side-track.  .V  water-tank,  wanting  in  Vladi- 
vostok, supplies  the  locomotives  with  water,  thus  forming  in  a  certain  sense 
part  of  the  \ladivostok  station. 

The  siding  is  connected  with  the  seashore  by  means  of  a  suspension 
railway  supported  on  piles,  serving  for  small  trucks  conveying  naphtha  t" 
Lindholms  reservoirs. 

In  the  vicinity  are  disposed  the  camj)  of  the  Vladivostok  garrison  (1  bat- 
talion and  sapper  conipanv)  and  a  small  settlement  called  ('onvicts'  Hamli-t. 
inhabited  by  exile  settlers  who  here  obtained  their  IVeedoni  after  the  cnm- 
pletion  of  their  term  of  punishment. 

From  here  the  line,  running  along  the  seashore,  crosses  the  principal 
street  of  Vladivostok,  the  Svetbinskaya  and  reaches  the  western  bank  of  the 
Bay  of  the  Golden  Horn,  on  which  stands  the  station  of  Vladivostok  at  an 
elevation  of  1'  ;;  sazhen  above  sea-level. 

3tt)  Vladivosldk.  II  class  station.  Buflet.  The  construction  of  the  pass- 
enger station  built  of  local  grey  sandstone,  was  inaugurated  on  the  l'.>  May. 
1891,  in  the  presence  of  His  Imperial  Majesty,  the  present  Kmperor  .Xicho- 
las II,  then  Heir  Ap|)arent  to  the  throne.  On  a  high  natural  terrace  rising 
above  the  road-way.  stands  a  stone  two-store\ed  building  housing  the  Rail- 
way Department,  Houses  for  the  employees,  for  the  accomodation  of  workmen 
and  soldiers  of  the  railway  battalion,  are  situated  next  to  the  passenger  station. 

0|>posite  the  station  is  a  stone  quay.  220  sazhens  in  length,  for  the  use 
r)f  sea-going  ships.  .\t  the  south-western  end  of  the  quay  is  the  landing- 
stage  of  the  Volunteer  Fleet,  im  the  station  platform  continuing  towards 
Cape  Egersheld  to  the  west,  a  landing-place  and  a  quay  is  being  built  tnr 
the  use  of  the  East-Chinese  Railway. 

Town  of  Vladivost.ik  (-iT  6'  .V.  lat..  lOr  3.V  E.  long..  !».022  versts  from 
Petersburg)  Chinese.  Khai-Shen-Vei  which  means  .Trejiang  Bay".  Being  situ- 
ated in  the  same  latitude  as  Vladikavkaz,  more  southerly  than  Sevastopol  and 


464 


GTUPE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


\'(MiLcr  ami  only  'i'  farlhci'  north  than  KhiriMicc  and  Xii-c,  \'hiihv(i.sti)k  by 
its  cliiiiato  reralls  the  iocalitios  nf  Pskov  and  lii'^vel,  havinir  an  annual  mean 
tcnipofatni-e  of  4\6  (,".  The  mean  maximum  is  3'J'\t).  the  minimum  —  25. H"  C. 
Tile  town  is  situated  on  the  southern  side  of  the  Peninsuhi  of  Muraviov- 
Amursky,  at  an  elevation  of  487  feet  above  sea-level,  extending  along  the 
sinuous  and  steep  mountain-sides,  bounding  the  northern  and  western  coast 
of  the  Bay  of  the  Golden  Horn  and  the  eastern  coast  of  the  Ami'ir  Gulf.  The 
Hay  of  the  Golden  Horn  lollows  a  western  direction  from  the  East  Hospho- 
rus  Strait,  parting  Russian  Island  from  the  continent,  but  within  2  versts 
nf  its  entrance  it  describes  a  curve  and  turns  south-east.  From  the  side  of 
the  Amur  Gulf,  the  bay  is  sheltered  from  the  straits  and  from  Russian 
Island  by  the  Shkott  Peninsula  and  by  that  of  Goldobin.  These  peninsulas 
seem  to  form  a  kind  of  gate.  The  length  of  the  bay  from  Cape  Goldiibin  to 
its  extremity  is  (5  versts,  the  greatest  breadth  is  about  a  verst  and  the  de|ith 
from  4  to  15  sazhens.  Considering  its  extent,  suitable  bottom,  sufficient  depth 
and  convenient  outlet,  this  bay  forms  a  harbour  .skilfully  created  by  nature. 
Throughout  the  area  occupied  by  the  anchored  ships,  the  harbour  is  frostbiuind 
fnmi  the  l.i  December  to  the  4  April,  viz.  for  110  days.  The  (ilan  to  employ 
an  icebreaker  for  the  maintenance  of  an  ice-free  channel  for  the  ships  entering 
the  port  was  first  executed  in  the  winter  of  1893  and  1894  and  virtually  pro- 
ved that  navigation  could  be  kept  up  in  Vladivostok  during  the  whole  winter. 


View  of  Vladivost6k. 


Stretchin.ii:  along  the  lia.v  shore  tor  a  distance  of  ovei-  7  versts.  Vladi- 
vostok, seen  from  tiie  sea-side,  looks  like  a  large  jiort-town.  The  lop(>grapli.\ 
of  the  town  is  very  peculiar,  the  streets  provided  with  side-walks  made  of 
planks  run  in  every  direction;  there  are  (i  open  places  and  45  streets,  the 
number  of  Imiidings  exreiHls  2,0<K)  amon.ir  which  l,2H!i  of  wood  and  2.'>1  of 
stone  belong  to  private  individuals:  tlie  engineerin.g  and  naval  departments 
own  .505  wooden,  52  stone  and  20  iron  buildings.  The  real  estate  of  the  town 
amounts  to  a  value  of  R.  9,485,100  There  are  two  Orthodox  churches;  a  stone 
(uithedral  of  fine  architecture  of  the  .Assumption  and  a  church  of  the  Siberian 
Ship  Comi)any.  The  orthodox  churches  not  being  sufficiently  spacious  and 
the  town  not  disi)osing  of  the  capital  needed  Un-  the  construction  of  aiiothei' 
<-athedral  in  Vladivosti'ik,  callable  of  meeting  the  rei|uiriMnents  of  the  orthodox 
faith  in  this  distant  bordei-|and  o!  the  Hmpii-e,  His  lmpei-ial  .Majesty  authoris- 


466  GI-IPE  TO  THE  GREAT  sraERIAN   RAILWAY. 

I'd  I  lie  fiilli'i-iiiin  (if  niiiiu',\  (in  tlir  l.J  Aun'iist  Inr  this  imriKisc  in  all  llii' 
chiirclics  of  the  Hiupiiv,  during-  .'i  yo;irs  (•(ininiencing  from  lilOO.  The  tir.st 
assistance  to  this  great  Christian  work  was  given  l>,v  the  E]ni|ieror  himself, 
who  made  a  donation  of  R.  o.dOi). 

There  are  Catholie  and  Lutheran  churches  and  (Chinese,  .Japanese  and 
Korean  temples. 

Several  beacons  are  situated  near  the  town:  that  of  Lariiinov,  on  the 
norlh-western  extn^mity  of  Russian  Island:  of  Skryplevsky,  on  the  island  of 
the  same  name,  at  the  entrance  of  the  Eastern  Hosphorus  from  Ussuri  Hay: 
and  of  Askold  standing  on  the  southern  ca])e  of  Askold  Island  in  Ussuri  Hay, 
at  the  entrance  of  the  river  Suifun. 

The  coast  of  Peter  the  Great  Gulf  was  known  to  Tuiropeaus  from  ls.')2. 
when  the  French  Government  sent  out  the  eorvet  „('a]u-icieuse''  to  exploi'c 
the  coast  of  the  Sea  of  Japan.  In  18.54.  the.  frigate  „Palbida".  whose  voyage 
was  described  by  GonchanJv,  explored  the  shores  of  Korea  to  Cape  G.-iniov 
under  the  command  of  Admiral  Putiiitin.  In  is.iii.  (me  of  the  ships  of  the 
Anglo-French  s(|uadron,  the  ^Winchester"  during  her  search  for  the  Russian 
fleet  which  had  left  Petropiwlovsk.  discovered  the  Bay  of  the  Golden  Horn 
and  gave  it  the  name  of  Port  May. 

The  actual  occupation  of  the  Bay  of  \'ladivostok  by  the  Russians  was 
eflected  on  the  20  May,  1860,  when  on  the  war-sloop  .jManchiir",  commanded 
by  Cai)tain  .Schefner,  arrived  a  crew  of  40  soldiers  and  '^  companies  of  the 
4  battali(m  of  the  line  under  the  command  of  Ensign  Komarov.  Th(>se  first 
emigrants  erected  a  barrack  and  houses  for  the  officers  and  thus  founded 
the  military  i)ost  of  Vladivostok. 

The  first  church,  that  of  the  Assumption  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  was  founded 
here  in  .lune.  IStil,  and  consecrated  on  the  1  April,  18(52.  In  18ti.'),  Vladivostok 
ranked  as  port  and  was  made  a  porlo-franco. 

In  1S64,  it  was  appointed  as  residence  for  the  dii'ection  of  the  southern 
harbours  of  the  coast  of  Peter  the  Greats  Gulf;  the  port  workshops  were 
then  established,  serving  as  a  basis  for  the  creation  of  the  machinery  works 
and  of  the  premises  used  for  the  mounting  of  the  ships  belonging  to  the 
Siberian  fleet.  Within  the  same  year.  157  voluntary  settlers  arrived  from 
Xikdhievsk.  In  lS(i8.  Vladivostok  was  connected  by  tele.graph  with  Khaba- 
r(ivsk.  and  in  1871  with  Nagasaki  and  Shanghai  by  the  international  sub 
marine  cable  of  the  Danish  Company. 

From  the  year  1872,  when  the  chief  port  of  the  Pacifi(;  Ocean  was  traus- 
fcri'dl  fr(mi  Xikolaevsk  on  the  .Amur  to  Vladivostok,  the  population  of  the 
new  port  increased  rapidly,  extending  at  the  same  time  its  commercial  oper- 
ations. In  187;i,  His  Imperial  Highness,  the  (irand  I  Hike  .Vlexis  Alexiindrovich 
visited  Vladivostok  on  the  frigate  „Svetlana"  which,  together  witti  the  cor- 
vets  „Vitiaz''  and  nBogatyr",  was  included  in  the  expedition  of  Adjutant- 
General  Possiet.  In  commemoration  of  this  event,  the  princijial  street  of  the 
town  received  the  name  of  Svetlanskaya. 

In  ls7(i,  the  port  was  subjected  to  the  general  luunicipnl  law  ofls7o,  and 
in  isso  \'la(livos(6k  was  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  town;  from  this  year  direct 
communication  with  Odessa  was  established  by  means  of  the  steamers  of 
the  Volunteer  Fleet.  Within  the  period  from  1882  to  1887,  a  floating  dock, 
transported  in  pieces,  was  erected  here.  In  1887,  the  Gr.and  Duke  Alexander 
Mikhiiilovich  visiti'd  Vla(livost('ik  on  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  Pacific  l'\ooi. 
the  eorvet  ..Rynda",  on  which  he  sailed  during  two  yi^irs  undi>i'  the  command 


^m 


THE  USSCRI   RAILWAY. 


467 


(if  till-  present  Aiiiuii-al  Avelan,  then  post  captain.  From  the  year  1S8S, 
Vhidivostok  was  ineluded  in  the  Littoral  territory,  becoming  the  centre  of 
the  local  administration:  the  post  of  commandant  of  the  port  was  created  at 
the  same  time.  .\  third-class  fortress,  defendin.i;-  the  town  fmiii  the  land  side 
and  from  the  sea.  was  consecrated  on  the  3()  Aujrust.  18S9. 

The  events  w-hieh  took  place  in  1891  essentially  raised  the  importance  of 
Vladivostok,  contributed  to  the  development  of  its  trade  and  enlari^'ed  the 
operations  of  the  port.  On  the  mornm,y:  of  the  11  May,  His  Imperial  Hijrhness 
the  Grand  lUike  Tsesarevich.  the  present  Emperor  Nicholas  II.  arrived  at  Vla- 
divostok on  the  frigate  „Pamiat  Azova". 

Opposite  the  landing— stage  of  the  Admiralt.v,  on  the  spot  where  His  Im- 
perial Majesty  first  trod  his  native  soil  after  his  long  voya.ge.  a  triumphal  arch 
was  erected,  which  received  the  name  of  Xicholas  Gate.  The  image  ot  St.  Ni- 
cholas the  Miracle-worker  of  Mirlicia,  with  the  memorable  date  of  the  11  May. 
18'J1,  traced  underniNith.  was  placed  in  the  large  semiarch  turned  towards 
the  road-stead. 

During  the  sojouin  of  His  Imperial  Highness  the  Tsesarevich,  was  laid 
the  first  stone  of  the  monument  to  .Vdmiral  Gennadi  Ivanovich  Xeveiskoi.  the 
first  promoter  of  Russian  domini(Ui  in  the  Far  Fast.  On  one  of  the  sides  of 
the  pyramid  are  engraved  the  memorable  words  of  the  Emperor  Xicholas  I 
referring  to  the  exploit  of  Xovelskoi:  .Whore  the  Russian  fla.g  is  once  hoisted 
it  never  must  be  lowered".  The  monument  was  inaugurated  in  September 
of  1807. 


On  the  IS  May  Isni.  His 
inaugurated  the  construction 
dock,  completed  in  1897. 


Imperial    Highness    the    Tsesari'vich  solemnly 
of  a  dry-dock   named  Tsesarevitch    Nicholas 


Site  of  the  inauguration  of  tlie  Ussiiri  railway  by  His  imperial  Majesty  in  May,  1891. 


Two    tloating    docks    (one  on  the  (lark  system),  accomodating  2-d    class 
cruisers,  have  been  ready  for  use  from  1889. 

29.\ 


468  GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

The  roscripl  u'ivi'n  In  the  T.scsart-vich  mi  the  17  Man'li,  is'.il.  I>.\  Ilic  Km- 
pcror,  with  rofiMvnce  to  the  oxecution  ol'  a  railway  on  llie  Russian  coast  ol' 
the  Pacific  was  an  universally  important.  ev(>nt  which  lilce  a  ray  of  light 
reached  the  Par  East.  On  the  19  May,  1891,  divine  service  was  held  within 
2V2  vcrsts  of  the  town,  on  account  of  the  inauguration  of  the  railway's  con- 
struction, in  the  presence  of  the  Emperor.  After  divine  service,  the  Tse- 
sa.r(''vich  himself  filled  with  earth  a  wheelbarrow  prepared  for  this  jMii-iiose 
and  emiitii^l  it  on  the  embankment  of  the  future  Ussuri  railway. 

Funliei-,  His  Imperial  Highness  played  an  active  iiart  in  the  inau.uuratioii 
of  the  luissenger  station,  laying  the  first  stone  for  this  building.  In  comme- 
moration of  this  fact,  an  image  of  St.  Nicholas  the  .Miracle-Worker  of  .Mii-- 
licia  was  placed  on  the  spot  where  His  Highness  laid  the  first  stone. 

On  the  day  on  which  was  inaugurated  in  Vladivostok  the  construction 
of  the  Siberian  railway,  the  19  May,  the  Im|)erial  rescri|>t  .given  to  the  Tse- 
sarevich  was  ]iublished  in  St.  Petersburg  in  order  that  all  the  true  subjects 
of  the  Tsar  mi.tcht  join  in  their  hearts  in  the  memorable  and  historical  so- 
lemnity performed  by  the  wish  of  the  Emjieror  in  the  distant  borderland  of 
the  Empire. 

On  the  21  May,  His  Imperial  Highness  the  Tsesarevich  ijuitted  Madivo- 
stok,  proceeding  further  across  Siberia. 

The  population  of  Vladivostok  is  ever  on  the  increase  and  within  the 
last  ten  years  it  has  doubled. 

According  to  the  data  of  1890,  the  number  of  inhabitants  was  14.4(5(i,  in- 
cluding 9,.H6.5  Russians  and  4,193  Chinese;  by  the  census  of  1897,  it  increased 
to  28,9.S3  (24,4.83  males;  4,500  females).  The  predominating  element  is  the  mi- 
litary class,  numbering  about  12,000,  next  come  forei.cn  subjects,  the  Chinese, 
Koreans  and  Japanese  forming  12,.o77  (11,621  males.  9.56  females). 

luiring  the  summer,  when  the  navi.uation  season  is  at  its  highest,  the 
town  population  is  further  increased,  mainly  by  the  stream  of  foreign  Chi- 
nese workmen  from  Chifu  and  of  Jajianese  traders  and  artisans. 

The  town  owns  6,407  desiatins  of  aral)le  land  anil  207  desiatins  waste. 
The  annual  revenue  exceeds  R.  .300,000.  The  municipality  has  raised  the 
question  of  sujiplying  the  town  with  electric  lighting,  and  conducting  water- 
pipes  from  the  valley  of  the  PervayaRechka.  Certain  houses,  as  for  example  the 
firms  of  Kunst  andAlbers  andChurin,  are  already  provided  with  electric  light.  ^• 

Educational  institutions:  the  Eastern  Institute,  opened  on  the  21  October,  J 
1899,  ranks  among  the  first-class  establishnients  aiming  at  providing  its  pu-  1. 
pils  with  special  education,  training  them  for  employment  in  the  administra-  ' 
tive  and  commercial  institutions  of  East-Asiatic  Russia. 

The  chief  purpose  is  thi'  practical  knowledge  of  th(>    Chinese,   Japanese,  ■] 
Korean,  Mongolian  and  Manchu  languages.  A  college  for  .30  bursars  is  to  be  V 
attached    to   the   institute.    Classical    Gymnasium   for   hoys  with  a  course  of  i 
Chinese  lan.tcuage.  (iymnasium  for  ,^;irls.  Town  3  class  school  for  boys.  Poi-t- 
trading  school.  Alexander  navigation  classes.  Two  elementary  schools  of  the 
local  charitable  society.  Sunday  school  ol'  the  local  Societ.\-  foi-  public  readiiiD:. 
Private  school  kept  by  Mrs.  Kuster. 

Moreover,  in  commemoration  of  their  Imperial  Majesties'  Coronation,  the 
town    council    assigned    R.  lo.iXN)    for  the    establishment   of   a  trades  school, 


THE  I'SSIRI  RAILWAY  469 

ihUt  111!"  onira.ircmciii  to  pay  a  certain  simi    annually    Inr   ihc    inMinii'iiaiicc 
III'  this  schnol.  The  niiTchant  Sheveliov  gavi'  R.  2.ix)(i  liir  ihr  sainr  ulijcct. 

In  coinniL'nioraliiin  nf  the  ahovc  Tnentinncti  cvont,  llu'  Incal  Cliiiicsi' iravc 
R.  KMKX)  for  the  I'staltlishment  <if  a  Russn-Chinpsp  school. 

Scientific  and  charitable  institutions:  Society  lor  the  liivestijiation  «['  the 
Amur  Re<;ion.  I  "octor's  Society  of  the  South  I'ssuri  ri>.iiion.  Branch  of  the 
Imperial  liussian  Technical  Society.  Public  Rearling  Society.  Madivestnk  Relief 
Society.  Branch  of  the  Red  Cross  Soinety.  Shootins:  Society.  Societx  ln|-  ihe 
assistance  of  Vladivostok  gymnasium  pupils  sent  U])  to  the  higher  edueaiinnal 
institutions  of  European  Russia  and  Siberia. 

The  Society  for  the  study  of  the  Amur  region,  under  the  patronage  nf 
His  Imperial  Higness  the  Grand  IHike  Alexander  Mikhailovich.  started  its 
nperations  in  1SS4.  an<i  erected  a  stone  museum  including  mainly  ethnoi;ra- 
phical  cidlections  referring  to  Ihe  natives  of  the  Far  Hast.  A  library,  contain- 
ing valuable  gifts  from  N'eniukov  and  Busse  is  attached  to  the  museum. 
The  first  plantations  in  the  botanic  garden  kept  by  the  Society  were  made 
in  isiie. 

The  works  of  the  Incal  inenii)ers  ai'e  printed  in  the  |i(N'iodically  piiiilished 
Memoirs  of  the  Society.  This  Society  disposes  of  a  prize  of  R.  ;i.()iK)  given  by 
the  late  F.  F.  Busses  sister  in  memory  of  her  brother,  for  the  l)est  work  re- 
garding the  country. 

.\  Pasteur  station  was  attaciied  in  1  suit  to  the  Moctor's  Society-  of  the 
South  I'ssiiri  region. 

There  is  no  proper  theatre  in  \'ladiv(is((jk,  and  sti-ollinir  actors  play  in 
meri-hant  Gah'-tskis  private  hall  at  the  Hotel  of  tl)e  Golden  Horn,  and  at  times 
in  the  Xaval  or  Clerks'  Club.  In  lOiKi.  a  theatre  hall  with  a  stage  will  be 
iirrangod  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  Hotel.  Xn  amateur  singing,  niusieal  and  <'ven 
gymnastic  society  sometimes  manifests  its  activity;  th(>  (ierman  colony 
under  the  leadership  of  the  trading  firm  of  Ktinst  and  Albers  (rricanisi-d  a 
special  choral  society  known  under  the  name  of  the  „Lyre".  This  society  is 
not  accessible  to  the  public;  it  ilisposes  of  rooms  lighted  by  elect i-icjty. 

The  town  is  provided  with  three  clubs.  Military  Club  in  the  building  of 
the  Engineerin.g  Department;  Xaval  Club,  more  accessible  to  the  public,  whi-re 
evening  parties,  concerts  and  theatrictils  take  place;  and  a  clerks'  club  with 
evening  parties,  concerts  etc. 

Three  periodicals  are  published  in  N'ladivostiik:  the  .,\'ladivostijk"  foun- 
ded in  1SS.-5,  organ  of  the  naval  department  (weekly);  The  orclers  id'  the  com- 
mandant of  the  port,  articles  and  notes  relative  to  naval  cpiestions  are  in- 
serted in  the  naval  i)art  of  the  gazette.  The  subscription  is  R.  IL.'iOk.  annu- 
ally. .The  Far  P]ast"  founded  in  18'.'2,  thrice  a  week.  Subscription  R.  lo  per 
annum.  The  .Advertiser"  issued  from  18519. 

There  are  three  hotels;  the  best  is  the  .Pacific  Ocean",  then  comes  the 
.Golden  Horn"  and  the  .Kuropean  Hotel";  furnished  rooms  are  kept  by  Ga- 
niartelli.  The  hackney  coach  tariff  is  80  k.  an  hour,  and  20  k.  Ihe  drive  with- 
in the  limits  of  one  part  of  thi-  t<iwn.  and  40  k.  beyond  it.  In  the  niirlit  the 
tariff  is  doubled. 


470  GUlDIi  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 

Tiailr  ami   iiiaiiiil'acUin's  i^vnw  rapidlN ;  al  iirt'sciit.  ihr  Inlldwiiiij;  raclnrii 
arc  at  work  in  the  tnwn  nf  VladivosU'ik  and  its  environs: 

Number  of  Output  in 

f;u-torics.  rubls. 

Brick-kilns   8  250,000 

Beton  numniactory 1  20,000 

Macliincry  works  (Burinu) 1  50,(KK) 

Tannery I  40,i)i>o 

Butter 1  40,000 

Rope-yard 1  5,000 

Match  manufactory  (Suvorov) 1  120,000 

Saw-mills 3  30,000 

Beer-brewery : 1  lo.i  too 

Establishment     for    the    preitaration 

of  mineral  water- 2  10,000 

Machinery  works 3  40.000 

Breweries  (manza  beerj 4  80,000 


27  695,000 


The  Chineese  beer  tastes  of  corn  and  is  very  sweet:  it  is  drunk  hot  or 
cold  and  costs  15  k.  a  bottle. 

Printing  offices  of  Remezov.  Panov  and  Sushchinski. 

Photograpiiic  (studios)  the  best  belongs  to  Matskevich,  next  comes  tliat 
of  Mukhin  and  of  the  Japanese  Koito. 

According  to  its  position,  Vladivostok  presents  the  best  and  most  im- 
portant centre  of  trade  throughout  the  Russian  coast  in  the  Par  East.  With 
the  construction  of  tlie  i-ailway,  its  importance  a.s  regards  commerce  is  ever 
on  the  Increase.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  important  Russian  and  foreign  / 
European  firms,  almost  the  whole  trade  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Chinese;  '. 
but,  since  the  completion  of  steam  communication,  the  number  of  Russian  -; 
firms  has  augmented  considerably. 

The  progress  of  the  commercial  relations  of  Vladivostok  with   the   other 
ports  may  be  illustrated  by  comparing  the  figures  drawn  from  the  data  con-  , 
corning  the  arrival  of  steamers  in  the  Vladivostok  roadstead.  j 

Xuml)er  of  steamers  arrived  during  the  navigation  season  of  1894: 
Russian  steamers,  .53  with  a  tonnage  of  ...  .    56,919 
P(n-eign  ..  '.I3      ,.  ,.  ....    90,463 

1  luring  the  navigati(m  dH  1896: 

Russian  steamers,  72  with  a  tonnage  of  ....    76,854  , 

Foreiii:n         ..        181      ..  .  ....  118.874 

In  conjunction  with  the  rising  figun^s  of  arriving  vessels,  the  number  ot 
jiorts  with  which  Vladivostok  entered  into  commercial  relations  also  in- 
creas(>d  considerably.  Besides  the  poi'ts  of  European  Russia.  China,  Japan 
and  Korea,  goods  are  now  transported  by  Russian  steamers  from  sucii  di- 
stant points  as  Glasgow,  Colombo,  Port-.Said,  Singapui'  and  Hongkong.  *■ 


THE  USSl'Ul  RAILWAY.  471 

A  greater  animation  aisn  is  noticed  in  tlie  inlorrnurse  of  Vladivosli'ijv 
witli  the  seabords  of  (^liina  and  Korea,  carried  mi  !>>  nn'ans  oC  Cliiiicsc  iiiMi<s 
and  barges,  their  number  amounting  to  1,5(H>. 

The  chief  articles  of  import  are:  rice,  i'lnur,  wiieaten  flour,  butler,  salt. 
doth,  cotton  and  silk  stufl's,  boots,  china,  vegetables,  fresh  and  preserved 
ruit.  as  well  as  coal,  agricultural  implements  and  cartridges. 

The  principal  articles  of  export  to  foreign  countries  are  sea-cabbage,  zhen- 
shen  root,  mushrooms  found  on  oak  stumps,  lichens  growing  on  corn,  trejiang 
etc.,  forwarded  to  China,  and  quite  useless  to  the  Russian  iiopulation. 

For  the  promotion  of  industrial  activity,  a  branch  of  the  -State  Hank  was 
established  in  \"ladivost6k  in  1894:  from  KS98  tiiere  is  also  a  branch  of  the 
Husso-Chinese  Bank.  The  Town  Bank  and  the  Yaroslav-Kostromii  Lain!  Hank 
Opel-ate  likewise  in  the  town. 

In  189SI.  the  Hmperni'  autliiiriscd  ihrougbout  the  Empire  a  subscription 
for  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  the  late  .Vdmiral  Vasili  Steii;inovich  Za- 
V('iiko.  the  eminent  administrator  of  the  Anii'ir  reginn  and  hero  of  the  defence 
of  the  Peter  and  Paul  Port,  attacked  in  1854  b,\  the  Anglo-Ficndi  tleet. 

The  principal  firms  of  Vladivostok  are: 

Briner,  firm  of  S.  S.  Briner,  luiznetsov  and  Coiniiany,  unloading  of  .shi|is, 
freight  transport,  with  an  association  of  Korean  workmen  for  the  discharge 
of  cargoes,  possesses  boats  and  a  steam  cutter.  Important  timber  trade.  Saw 
mills  in  the  Littoral  territory  and  Korea. 

Languelitier.  wholesale  in  various  goods.  Wine  aiiil  spirit  stores.  Lindliolm, 
tirm  of  Lindholm  and  Co.  wholesale  and  ri'tnil  trnilf  in  fldui' L^iods  and  petro- 
leum. Brick  and  cement  manufactory. 

Cimimercial  house  of  Kunst  and  .Mbeis,  wholesale  and  retail  traib'  in 
various  Russian  and  foreign  goods.  Spirit  and  wine  stores.  Petrojcuiii,  tlour 
and  butter.  Hankers  nffirr. 

Semionov  and  Co.,  obtaining  sea-cabbage  and  tisli  in  the  Sea  of  Japan. 
Commercial  bouse  of  Chiirin  and  Co..  wholesale  and  retail  trade  in  maniitac- 
tures,  drugs,  iron.  coi)per,  perfumery,  tobacco,  grocery  and  other  goods. 

Banker's  office:  Sheveliov  and  Co..  navigation  with  regular  postal  and 
freight  service  between  China,  Japan.  Korea,  the  Island  of  Sakhalin  and  th<' 
posts  of  the  Tartai-y  Strait.  Stores  and  sale  of  guniiowder.  Commission  agent. 
C'luumercial  house  of  lii'others  Borodin,  sale  of  various  goods. 

Zhunlevich.  „Littoral  taniiri  y  ol  ZhiiMli'virh  and  Co."  Piankov,  couimercial 
hoiisi".  firm  of  M.  Piankov  and  Brothers.  Wludesale  and  retail  trade  in  wine 
and  spirit,  distillery.  Sliulyngin,  wholesale  and  retail  trade  in  tea,  sugar  and 
flour.  Cable  and  rope-yard. 

Aurenhammer,  company  under  the  nanu-  of  llaulmann  and  .\uicnli.immer. 
trado  in   metal  wares  and  .\merican  .goods. 

Hiirgen.  machinery  works,  Zenzinov.  bookseliei-.  Suvorov.  match  manu- 
factory of  Suvorov,  Siishinsky  and  Co.,  printers  &  lithogi'aphers  and 
publishers.  Agents  id'  Russian  insurance  societies  and  transport  ofllces: 
Andresi,  of  the  Russian  Fire  Insurance  Society,  r»atton,  of  the  Anchor  Insu- 
rance Society.  Romersky.  of  the  St.  Petersburg  insurance  Society.  Langue- 
litier. of  the  Russia  Insurance  Society.  Merkulov  of  the  .Xorthern  Insurance 
Society.  Skoblin  of  ihi'    Russian    Freight    Transport  and    Insurance    Society. 


472 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Shrvi'lli'iv,  i>f  the  Xaili'zlida  Sncioty.  Spon.siler  nl'  ilic  First  Russian  Insurance 
Suficty. 

Steamsiiip  agents:  TcriMitiev,  ol'  liir  \iiliinirrr  |''lcci.  Trranii.  nl  ihe  .,.\i- 
piiii-IuxAni-KaisliM".  Vasiiicv  ol'  tlir  Aniiii'  Stoanisliip  Cninpany.  Si^iiii-.  nl'  the 
Japanese  Steamship  Company  „ii'nni'". 

From  Vladivostok,  the  sea-route  li.\  the  waters  of  (he  I'ai-ilic  (leean  lies 
open  to  the  steamers  of  the  Volunteer  Fleet  and  to  those  belonging  to  th( 
East  Chinese  railway,  and  likewise  to  steamei's  of  foreign  countries,  which 
from  year  to  >ear  enlarge  their  commercial  relations  with  the  pnrts  of  the 
Far  East. 


M 


The  Island  of  Sakhalin. 


The  economic  and  commercial  relations  of  the  Island 
of  Sakhalin  with  the  Ussiiri  region.  Geographical  po- 
sition and  superficial  configuration  of  the  island. ^Geo- 
logical structure  and  mineral  wealth.  Coal  pits,  naphtha 
springs,  auriferous  areas,  amber.  —  Hydrography.  -  - 
Climate. —  Flora. —  Fauna.  —  Historical  past. —  Admini- 
stration. —  Population.  —  Convict  prisons  and  peni- 
tential colonies.  —  Industry.  —  Agriculture.  —  Cattle- 
raising.  — Trapping. — Fishing. — Sea-cabbage  industry. — 
Fishing  for  crayfish,  crabs  and  trepang.  —  Prison  work- 
shops. —  Handicraft  productions.  —  Trade.  —  Ways  of 
communication.  —  Future  importance  of  the  island  — 
Bibliography. 


'¥^~ 


HE  Littoral  territory  and  particularly  the  U.ssi'irl  region  are 
[iJS*  in  close  economic  and  commercial  connexion  with  the  Island 

of   .S.ikhalin,  lyini:   off  the    continent.    I'pon  the  opening  of 
_.  __^  direct  steam  tiatl'ic   on   the    Great    Siberian    main    line,    the 

itli^fp  economic  interests  of  both  terrltorie.s  will  bo  still  more 
closely  united,  both  tending  tr)wards  the  fiu-ther  development 
of  trade  and  industrial  exchange  at  the  terminus  of  the  great  transit  road. 
The  Island  of  Sakhalin  stretches  in  a  long  and  narrow  line  along  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  Littoral  territory  (between  45'  .'U'  and  .54'^  24'  X.  lat. 
and  IIP  21'  and  118"  29'  E.  long,  from  St.  Petersburg),  separated  from  it  by 
the  northern  |)art  of  the  Sea  of  Japan  (Tartary  or  Nevelskiji  Strait).  Us  south- 
ern portion,  assuming  the  shape  of  a  horseshoe  and  forming  Aniva  Bay, 
extends  towards  Japan,  divided  from  it  by  La  Perouse  Strait.  The  extent  ol" 
the  island  from  nnith  to  south  is  about  !)(K1  versts,  its  narrowest  point  is 
2.'>  versts,  ,it  the  military  |)ost  of  Kusunn;ii.  the  widest  near  Si-rliiniii 
being  150  versts.  The  island  has  a  sujierficial  area  of  I.JTit  square  geograj)!)- 
ical  miles,  approximately  corresponding  to  Greece  or  to  the  Moscow  and 
Riazan  governments  taken  together. 


474  GUrDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SITiERIAN'   RAILWAY. 

The  surface  of  the  island  is  hilly:  the  mountains  form  lona;  meridional 
chains,  amonn  which  isolated  summits  of  bare  rocks  rise  to  an  altitude  of 
about  2,(X)8  to  5,000  feet  above  sea-level,  without  however  attaining  the  line  of 
perpetual  snow.  The  principal  plain  stretches  on  the  northern  side  of  the 
island,  on  the  western  shore  from  .50"  20'  N.  lat.,  and  on  the  eastern  from 
51°  40'  to  53°  50'  N.  lat.,  being-  jiartly  covered  with  a  scanty  vegetation  char- 
acteristic of  the  northern  seabord.  Another  wide  plain  lies  between  the 
western  and  eastern  coast  ridges,  in  the  interior  of  the  island,  and  reaches 
the  northern  shore  of  Patience  Gulf. 

This  plain,  falling  to  the  south,  widens  more  and  more,  being  crossed 
by  two  large  rivers  the  Tynii,  draining  into  Xyisk  Gulf,  and  the  Poronai, 
falling  into  Patience  Gulf.  Here  the  vegetation  is  far  more  abundant  and 
diversified,  especially  in  the  meadows.  Besides  these  plains,  there  are  a  few 
smaller  ones  in  the  southern  part  of  the  island.  The  richest  vegetation  is 
found  in  the  plains  occurring  on  the  western  coast  of  the  southern  side  of 
the  island. 

The  geological  structure  of  Sakhalin  is  yet  insufficiently  investigated 
but,  according  to  the  explorations  already  effected,  it  maiuly  consists  of  clayey 
sandstone  and  limestone  slates  of  tertiary  formation.  In  conjunction  with 
these  predominant  rocks,  the  mountain  ridges  contain  crystalline  and  volcan- 
ic rocks,  diorites  and  basalts.  In  the  environs  of  Due  are  found  seams  of 
grey  marl  with  huge  ammonites  and  a  great  number  of  various  fossils:  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  island  occur  strata  of  green  sandstone  and  creta- 
ceous formation. 

The  mineral  wealth  is  chiefly  constituted  by  coalbeds  occurring  plenti- 
fully throughout  the  island.  This  coal  has  been  known  to  Russian  sailors 
since  1859,  when  they  began  its  exploitation.  Since  that  time,  the  coal  de- 
posits situated  in  the  environs  of  Port  Due  have  been  constantly  worked, 
being  from  1875  in  the  hands  of  the  private  joint  stock  company  ^Sakhalin" 
which  has  of  late  obtained  an  annual  output  of  1.000,000  puds  of  coal.  The 
coal  is  found  in  a  series  of  seams  with  a  thickness  of  two  to  five  feet;  it  is 
of  superior  quality,  equal  to  the  best  Welsh  coal;  it  contains  from  74  to  84 
per  cent  of  carbon,  a  small  quantity  of  ash  and  00  per  cent  of  coke.  This 
coal  is  mainly  used  to  supply  Russian  vessels  navigating  near  the  shores  of 
the  Ussuri  region,  and  is  also  employed  by  foreign  ships  running  into  the 
Russian  ports  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  loading  of  the  ships  being  attended 
with  great  difficulties,  many  of  the  foreign  vessels  prefer  to  supply  them- 
selves with  coal  from  Japan:  in  order  to  overcome  these  inconveniences,  a 
special  expedition  was  organised  in  1898  and  despatched  to  the  Island  of 
Sakhalin  for  the  purpose  of  finding  a  convenient  route  for  the  transport  of 
coal.  The  expedition  was  commissioned,  1)  to  find  a  harbour  within  range  of 
the  collieries  of  Due  and  Vladimir  suitable  for  the  arrangement  of  a  port; 
2)  to  make  surveys.  It  projected  a  railway  of  40  versts  with  4  tunnels,  one  of 
Oit  sazhens  long,  in  the  direction  of  ftue,  and  three  towards  the  Vladimir 
mine  of  100,  2oo  and  400  sazhens.  The  entrance  to  the  mole  will  be  from  the 
south  at  a  disbinco  of  800  sazhens  from  the  shore  of  the  harbour  selected 
by  the  expedition.  Throughout  the  western  coast,  north  and  south  of  the 
post  of  Due,  have  l)een  found  numerous  coal-beds,  which  in  respect  of  their 
quality  and  ahundanc(^  are  not  inferior  to  the  beds  of  Dui'.  There  are  also 
deposits  in  the  interior  of  the  island  along  the  river  Ivuinmumii  and  on  the 
eastern    shore,  on    the    rivers    Otsobouka    and  .\y;i.  .Vmong  thi'  beds   worked 


THE  ISLAND  OF  SAKHALIN.  475 

Ix'sidcs  the  luic  mini's,  the  most  im|ii)rt,uit  ai-c:  the  MirMcliinsk  mines  heloni;- 
inir  to  the  irokl-miniiig  concern  of  Makovski  and  Co..  ohtaininu  annually 
upwards  of  o^Ki.iKK)  imds  of  coal:  and  tlie  Alexandrov  and  \'ladimir  mines  ol' 
the  Prison  fieiiartment,  with  an  annual  outi)ul  of  li(i«,0<xi  to  .s(K).(kK)  puds. 

Naphtha  has  been  discovered  at  many  places  on  Sakhalin,  principailx  in 
it^  northern  extremity.  Special  attention  is  due  to  the  springs  found  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  the  island,  in  its  northern  part,  near  the  .Xabilsk  Ciulf,  access- 
ihie  to  deep  draught  sea-going  vessels. 

According  to  the  explorations  made  by  Enginei'r  Butsevich,  deposits  of 
naphtha  extend  along  the  meridian,  having  their  centre  near  the  Okhotsk 
Sea  and  at  a  distance  of  5  to  25  versts  from  it.  The  specific  gravity  of  the 
naphtha  obtained  from  the  upper  layer  or  turf,  measuring  about  3  sazhens 
in  de|)th  and  situated  in  difl'ereni  iiarts.  varies  from  O.StX)  to  (i.SilS;  the  dail.\ 
output  amounts  to  several  puds.  According  to  the  specific  gravity  and  the 
results  obtained  from  distillation,  the  Sakhalin  naphtha  has  properties  ana- 
logous to  that  of  the  Caucasian  naphtha.  Another  important  bed  was  discov- 
ered by  Engineer  Kleie  in  JS9S,  on  the  same  eastern  coast  near  the  river 
.\iitov.  The  analysis  of  the  naphtha  ilrawn  from  the  upper  layers  of  the  soil 
siiewed  the  following  results:  specific  gravity  0.S»U.5;  h».'ated  to  150'  C,  con- 
tains a  very  small  percentage  of  benzin;  heated  to  :MV,  yields  27  per  cent 
of  pure  petroleum;  heated  upwards  of  5(X)^,  produces  a  very  good  oil  for 
greasing  machinery-  The  naphtha  springs  throughout  a  considerable  extent 
of  the  island  terj-itory,  their  abundance,  the  ricliness  of  the  superficial  ami 
subterranean  deposits  of  kir  or  asphalt  of  recent  formation  and  the  daily  flow 
of  the  oil  point  to  the  existence  of  considerable  supplies  of  naphtha  at  a 
certain  depth. 

In  1898,  gold  mines  were  found  in  the  central  part  of  Sakhalin  by  Dr. 
Cherdyntscv  and  the  nobleman  Kirchner,  who  ascertained  the  i)roportion  as  1  to 
2  zolotniks  of  gold  to  1(k>  puds  of  gravel.  According  to  certain  indications, 
the  auriferous  area  which  has  been  discovered  offers  a  wide  scope  for  the 
development  of  gold-mining  industry.  The  Sakhalin  Uoldmining  Company  has 
been  organised  in  order  to  work  the  mines. 

.Vmber  occurs  on  the  eastern  coast  from  Patience  Oulf  to  Lake  Tunaicha. 
and  likewise  near  Cape  Kryllion,  where  it  is  cast  up  by  the  sea. 

The  coast  of  Sakhalin  is  intersin-ted  with  gull's  and  bays,  among  which, 
the  most  important  is  Aniva  Gulf,  on  the  eastern  side,  in  the  central  part 
of  the  island.  The  numerous  gulfs  and  bays  do  not  however  afford  the  con- 
ditions for  convenient  harbours,  partly  because  they  arc  too  wide  and  un- 
inotected,  and  partly  because  they  remain  frost-bound  for  a  long  time. 

The  island  is  abundantly  watered:  numerous  fresh-water  lakes  richly 
l)rovided  with  fish  are  scattered  all  over  its  territory,  many  rivers  and  streams 
falling  from  the  mountains  run  in  every  direction.  These  water  systems,  al- 
though of  inconsiderable  extent,  play  no  important  part  in  the  economic  life 
of  the  island,  as  they  otTer  no  convenient  means  of  transportation.  Only 
the  large  river  Poromii,  falling  into  Patience  Oulf.  being  Hihi  versts  long,  is  na- 
vigable for  a  distance  of  4()  to  .50  versts  from  its  mouth,  and  that  for  .small 
vessels  only.  The  other  rivers  are  narrow  and  shallow  and  of  a  mountainous 
character. 

The  climate  of  Sakhalin  is  very  severe,  which  is  largely  due  to  the 
northern  sea-current  flowing  round  the  island.  It  brings  down  masses  of  ice. 
whidi  ivm.iin  unnieited  as  late    as    .June.  Thesi-  unfavourable  conditions  an- 


476 


GUroK  TO  THE  GRKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


still  further  aggravated  by  ihe  humidity  of  tho  air,  and  the  constant  log,  rain 
and  snow.  .Vccording  to  nieteorological  observations,  there  are  only  from  H9  to  > 
03  clear  days    yearly.   The    mean  annual  temperature  at  Out'  (')0°  49'  \.  lat.) 
is— 0'\59,    at    Kusunnai   (47'    .')!)'    .\.    lat.)  — 1°.7'.»,    and    ;if    .Vniva    (4(i'^    2'   X, 
lat.)— 3'M. 

The  flora  of  the  Okhotsk  coast-land.  The  vegetation  fdund  in  the  south- 
western portion  of  the  island  is  almost  the  same  as  on  the  .\miir  ami  in 
Northern  Japan.  The  tree  species  occurring  here  are:  larcli,  pinr.  fir,  cedai-. 
birch,  jioplar,  i)lacki)erry;  yew  and  cedar  grow  on  the  mountains.  In  the 
southern  localities  protected  from  cold  winds,  are  maple,  oak,  ash,  si.'veral 
varieties  of  wild  cherry,  apple  and  cork-tree.  Among  the  shrubs  are  fnund 
honey-suckle,  elder,  prick-wood,  white  hazel  and  wild  vine. 

The  flor;i  is  also  represented  by  some  plants  proper  to  the  coast  of  north 
.\merica.,  such  as:  Epilobium  affine  Bong.  Kibes  affine  Boug  Vaccinium  ovoli- 
tolium  Sm.  and  others,  and  a,  special  kind  of  bamboo,  attaining  a  num's 
height  and  coxi'ring  the  niountaiiis  together  with  the  Kamchatka  dw;irl'  liiiili. 
Upon  tho  whole,  three  quarters  of  the  territory  of  Sakhalin,  vi/.  abdiii 
4,600,000  desiatins,  are  occupied  by  forests.  Fires,  occasioned  liy  the  care- 
lessness of  the  settlers,  destroy  wide  areas;  the  inhabitants,  being  (le]irived 
of  their  freedom,  care  but  little  for  the  future  jirosperity  of  the  island. 

The  fauna  of  Sakhalin  contains  the  same  species  as  are  fouiiii  on  the 
adjoining  mainland  and  in  the  surrounding  waters. 

The  earliest  historical  information  about  Sakhalin  dates  l)ai-rl\  Irmn  tbr 
XVII  centiu-y  In  the  forties  (jf  this  century,  Russian  Cossacks  in  search  of 
distant  lands  I'eached  the  mouth  of  the  Amt'ir,  and  one  of  them  named  Po- 
y;irkov  discovered  the  existence  of  an  island  opposite  the  mouth  of  the 
Amur.  Almost  at  the  time  of  Poyarkov's  campaign  in  1643,  a  Dutch  exi)edi- 
tion  under  the  leadership  of  Martin  Herriz  de  Vries  discovered  Patience  Gulf 
tBot  van  Patientie)  without  suspecting  that  Sakhalin  was  a  separate  island. 
The  first  fairly  exact  chart  of  Sakhalin  was  made  by  the  Japanese  travellers 
.\Iohama — Tonkai  and  Mamio— Ffinzo  at  the  beginning  of  the  XIX  century, 
but,  as  it  only  later  on  became  known  to  Europeans,  Sakhalin  was  considered 
to  be  a  peninsula  up  to  the  middle  of  the  XIX  century. 

The  geographical  explorations  effected  by  the  expedition  under  \ev(dski'ii 
during  the  occupation  of  the  mouth  of  the  Ami'ir  (1S49 — 1S.")2)  ascertained  thai 
Sakhalin  was  an  island  and  that  the  Strait  of  Tartary  was  fit  for  navigation. 
From  this  time,  Sakhalin  was  explored  with  a  view  to  study  its  relief,  climate, 
natural  wealth  etc.  To  the  end  of  the  XVIII  century,  Sakhalin  was  under 
Chinese  dominion,  having  received  its  name  from  the  Manchur  „Saghalinn 
anga.  hata"  which  means  cliffs  at  the  mouth  of  the  Black  river,  and  is  ex- 
filained  by  the  position  of  the  hilly  part  of  the  island  covered  by  the  l']ngys- 
p;il  ridge,  situated  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  .Aniiir.  From  the  XVIll  I'cntur.v 
the  Japanese  found  their  way  to  Sakhalin,  and  having  occupied  its  southern 
extremity  gave  it  the  name  of  Kraflo.  It  is  only  since  the  lower  reaches  of 
the  Ami'ir  were  occupied  that  the  Russians  could  firmly  establish  their  jiosts 
on  Sakhalin:  thus,  according  to  the  treaty  with  Japan  concluded  on  the  20 
January,  1,S.')5,  the  northern  jiart  of  the  island  was  recognised  to  belong  to 
Russia.  Military  posts  were  established  in  18.07  at  Due  and  Sartunai  and  in 
18,58,  at  Knsunnsn.  The  attempts  made  by  the  Covernment  to  utilise  cnnvicl 
labour  at  the  coal-mines  near  the  purl  of  hue  I'efrr  in  ihe  same  tiinr.  .\i 
(irst.  small  Imdics  of  exile  settlers  were  forwarded  to  the  Island  of  Sakhalin 


1 


THE  ISLAND  OF  SAKH.M.IX.  17  7 

Mild  it  is  only  in  isti'.i  ihal  a  larjic  piirty  of  HfiO  convicls  was  sent  llirrc. 
The  ('Xiici-imcnts  luadi'  in  tlio  cstablisliiiicnt  of  a  irrcal  lumilier  of  criiiiiiials 
on  till'  island  provod  siK-cessful.  and  it  was  resolved  to  employ  eonviet  lalioiii' 
for  the  cultivation  of  the  island  and  for  the  workinsj;  of  coal  in  the  mines 
Ijelonuing  to  the  joint  stock  company  ^Sakhalin",  to  which  the  (iovernnient 
ceded  its  rights  of  exploitation,  concludinic  a  contract  containinj;  the  condition 
to  utilise  convict  labour.  After  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty  with  .Japan  in 
IS7.'>,  according  to  which  the  island  passed  entirely  under  tiie  dominion  i>\ 
liussia.  the  first  |)rison  settlement  Korsakov  f\)st,  now  the  centre  of  a  di- 
strict, was  founded  in  southern  Sakhalin.  Such  settlements  w'ere  also  estab- 
lished in  other  parts  of  the  island,  receiving  a  contingent  of  convicts  dis- 
charged from  hai-<l  labour  as  exile  settlers. 

All  exile  settlers  receive  grants  of  lanil  and  a  loan  from  the  fiovernnn'nl 
for  the  organisation  of  the  limiseliold:  they  are  un<ler  the  inspection  of  the 
aiiministration  and.  on  obtaining  a  good  character,  are  allowed  to  settle  in  the 
Littoral  and  .Vnu'ir  territories.  The  organisation  of  the  Sakhalin  convict  sta- 
tions and  of  the  exile  settlers'  life  are  due  to  tlie  activity  of  the  former  di- 
rector of  the  Chief  Prison  Department.  M.  X.  Ciiilkin  Vr.iski,  now  iiii'inln'r  id' 
tlie  Slate  Council,  who  repeatedly  visited  the  eastern  borderland    of   Siliciia. 

With  a  view  to  secure  the  family  princii)le,  re(|uire(l  for  colonisation 
since  ISS.'J,  all  women  condemned  to  hard  labour  are  forwanled  to  this  island 
from  European  Russia.  Since  1884,  convicts  are  ti-ansported  from  Odessa  on 
the  steamers  of  the  Volunteer  Fleet 

The  administration  of  the  island  is  in  the  liantis  of  the  .Military  Ciovernor 
under  the  control  of  the  Gov.M-nor-General  of  the  Amur  territory.  .Mexaiid- 
rovsk  Post  is  the  residence  of  the  Military  Governor. 

For  purposes  of  administration,  the  Island  is  divided  into  three  districts, 
.Mexiindrovsk,  on  the  western  coast  reaching  to  the  river  Nayas.  Tymovsk: 
occupying  the  valleys  of  the  rivers  Tyni  and  Poromii:  and  Korsakov  in  thi' 
southern  part  of  the  island,  extending  along  the  western  coast  to  th(>  rivei' 
Xayas  and  along  the  eastern  side  to  Cape  Patience.  According  to  the  census 
of  ls'.i7.  the  population  shewed  the  following  figures: 

.Mexandrovsk  district 

Tymovsk   

l\ois:d<o\   

20.518  7,t)4s  'is.Klfi 

The  population  is  composed  of  Russians  and  f<iur  native  tribes:  theGiliak. 
Tungus,  tlrochi'ii  and  .\ino.  The  number  of  nativ(>s  is  about   4,()(K). 

Tribes  allie<l  to  the  Giliaks,  Tungus  and.  (irochens  inhabit  the  lower 
streams  of  the  .Vmur;  and  the  aborigenes  of  the  island  do  not  in  any  wa> 
ditl'er  from  those  of  the  mainland. 

The  Ainos  are  allied  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  island  cd' Ye/.o.  who  belong 
to  the  European   race. 

The  Russian  poiiulation  of  the  island  comprises  the  following  categories; 
1)  (Jfficials  of  the  civil  and  military  class  (about  2..5(K)).  2)  Free  peasants 
(.MXK)),  H)  Kxile  jieasants  (S.rtdO).  4)  Exile  settlers  (7,.5W)  and  5)  Exile  con- 
victs {7.r)0fi). 

The  permanent  pojiulation  is  concentrated  in  it8  settlements,  of  which 
M  are  in  the  .Mexiuidmvsk.  21  in  the  Tymovsk.  and  42    in    thi-  Korsakov  di- 


Males. 

Females. 

Total. 

8.518 

2,()34 

11.1.'>2 

5.833 

2,628 

8.4(51 

6.167 

2,.3S6 

8.553 

478  GCrDE  TO  THE  GBE.\T  SIBERIAX  RAILWAY. 

stricts.  There  are  only  S  churches  in  all  the  districts:  however,  the  organisa- 
tion of  fresh  parishes  is  projected.  The  number  of  schools  is  2S.  among  which 
5  have  two  classes,  whereas  the  others  have  only  one  class  with  a  total  of 
720  pupils.  The  ([uestion  regarding  the  establishment  of  an  agricultural  school 
is  now  being  started. 

Industry  in  Sakhalin  is  still  in  the  bud.  Having  undertaken  the  colonisa- 
tion of  Sakhalin  and  wishing:  to  give  to  its  population  a  permanent  charac- 
ter, the  Government  applies  the  greatest  care  to  the  development  of  agri- 
culture, which  is  carried  on  at  the  seven  existing  convict  prisons  by  the  exile 
convicts  themselves.  The  extent  of  the  prison  husbandry  is  not  considerable, 
with  the  exception  of  potatoes  and  hay,  which  arc  obtained  in  the  propor- 
tions required  by  the  prisons. 

Agriculture  increases  from  year  to  year  among  the  peasants  and  settlers, 
in  spite  of  the  small  quantity  of  land  suited  for  cultivation;  in  order  to  ob- 
viate this  defect,  fresh  lands  are  pleared  every  year,  although  this  labour  is 
attended  with  great  difficulties.  At  present,  the  cultivated  area  represents 
only  a  desiatin  to  every  peasants  and  settlers  household.  The  corn  mainly 
sown  is  wheat,  next  come  barley,  oats,  yaritsa  and  a  smaller  quantity  of 
winter  rye.  Potatoes  are  mostly  cultivated.  Owing  to  the  good  quality  of  the 
soil  not  yet  exhausted  by  tillage,  fourfold  and  in  favourable  years  upwards  of 
sixfold  crops  are  obtained.  The  slow  progress  in  the  extension  of  the  culti- 
vated area  depends  not  alone  on  the  amount  of  labour  needed  for  the  clearing 
of  the  forest  land,  but  principally  on  the  want  of  steadiness  of  the  compul- 
sory colonists,  who  are  deprived  of  the  possibility  of  having  their  own  homes 
and  families.  The  absence  of  women  or,  more  exactly",  then-  limited  number 
is  one  of  the  chief  impediments  hindering  the  development  of  agriculture 
and  of  industry  in  general  on  Sakhalin.  The  proportion  of  housewives  to 
housemasters  is  -10  per  cent,  i.  e.  among  100  homesteads,  (io  lack  the  pi-esence 
of  a  woman.  How  much  their  absence  is  felt  may  be  seen  by  the  fact  that, 
as  soon  as  a  party  of  women  settlers  or  prisoners  is  brought  from  Odessa, 
they  are  immediately  taken  up  by  the  settlers  without  any  reference  to  age. 
merely  as  women,  wives  and  housekeepers. 

Cattle-raising,  like  agriculture,  is  still  at  a  primitive  stage  of  development 
The  cattle  belong  to  the  Transbaikal  stock.  The  horses  come  from  the  Tomsk 
and  Transbaikal  races.  Sheep-breeding  is  carried  on  in  very  small  propor- 
tions. On  the  average,  every  household  owns  about  IV2  ox  and  •  2  horse. 

Trapping  being  the  constant  occupation  and  the  chief  resource  of  the 
natives  is  extensively  practised  in  the  northern  part  of  the  island,  where 
sable  and  deer  are  hunted  with  success. 

The  fisheries  form  the  greatest  wealth  of  Sakhalin.  Innumerable  shoals 
of  various  fish  approach  the  desert  coasts  of  Sakhalin,  as  stated  by  Doctor 
Sliunin  in  his  report  regarding  the  industrial  wealth  of  the  Far  East. 

Certain  species  of  fish  keep  to  the  shore,  and  very  often  the  stormy  sea 
casts  them  up  on  the  sloping  beach,  thus  forming  a  bulwark  of  dead  fish. 
,5  to  6  feet  in  height:  a  cruel  irony  for  those  who  do  not  know  "how  to  avail 
themselves  of  natures  gifts.  Other  fish  move  in  shoals  to  the  rivers,  blocking 
their  streams,  even  hindering  the  passage  of  boats,  only  to  perish  there  and 
fill  the  air  with  contagion.  This  aquatic  wealth  constitutes  an  abundant 
source  of  welfare  and  prosperity  for  this  distant  region.  The  time  is  near 
when  these  treasures  will  take  an  important  place  and  the  inhospitable  and 
desert  shores  acquire  a  more  lively  character. 


THE  ISLASn  OF  SAKHALIN.  4711 

Sakhalin  will  become  a  mihit  valuable  I'lshinir  station  than  Ileli,i;olan<i  and 
Xewfoundland  taken  toirether.  At  present,  the  chief  objects  of  fishinir  are  the 
keia  and  irorlnisiia,  wliich  jjeneraily  are  exported  alter  having:  Ix-en  first  dried. 

The  .lapanese  evei-y  year  devidoji  and  extend  the  fisheries  al.mi:  the 
shores  of  Sakhalin:  thoy  dry  the  fish  and  prepare  a  kind  of  manure  from 
herrings.  In  18915.  the  export  of  this  manure  amounted  to  26i».247  puds.  The 
lish  which  is  taken  for  local  use  is  tax-free,  whereas  on  the  lish  exi>orted 
abroad  a  duty  of  5  k.  per  pud  is  levied  from  Russian  and  7  k.  from  foreign 
subjects.  The  Japanese  traders  are  also  subject  to  pay  duty  for  every  steam- 
er going  out  to  fish,  according  to  the  ship's  papers  ami  to  the  new  register- 
ed tonnages. 

The  sea-cabbage  industry  is  very  important  at  Saklialin.  where  for  a  long 
time  it  has  been  extensively  carried  on  by  Chinese  and  .lapanese.  The  sea- 
cabbane  is  also  gathered  by  the  Semionov  and  Iiembi  ("o.  ot"  Vladivostok, 
exi>orting  from  170.i>ni  to  2(K\(Khi  puds  of  this  |iroduce  to  China  and  -Jaiian 
annually. 

The  rules  ap|died  to  sea-cabbage  gathering  are  included  in  the  lislicry 
regulations,  and  the  rate  of  duty  on  this  article  is  fixed  in  accordance  with 
the  duty  levied  on  fish. 

The  taking  of  crayfish,  crabs  and  mainly  irepang  |»resents  also  a  proHt- 
able  industry.  (In  the  island  of  Sahkaiin.  the  rate  of  the  duty  for  a  pud  of 
dried  trepang  is  GO  k.  for  Russian  and  R.  1  for  foreign  subjects. 

Oysters,  occurring  of  the  southern  and  central  part  of  the  island,  are 
not  exported. 

The  prison  work.shops,  subjected  to  the  management  of  the  prison  de- 
jiartment.  contain  foundry,  locksmith,  joinery,  saw  mill,  brick-kiln  shops  etc., 
producing  various  articles  for  the  use  of  the  department,  only  part  of  them 
being  made  for  sale.  .\t  times,  private  orders  are  received,  such  Jis  for  the 
construction  of  barges  for  the  .\miir  Steamship  and  Trade  Company.  The 
population  numbers  many  skilful  artisans;  the  joinery  goods  are  particularl.\ 
famous,  but  do  not  find  a  ready  sale. 

The  external  commercial  relations  of  Sakhalin  are  maintained  by  means 
of  Russian  and  foreign  steamship  companies,  their  number  increasing  from 
year  to  year.  Navigation  opens  at  the  end  of  April  when,  in  spite  of  floating 
ice,  private  steamers  venture  to  approach  the  island.  Regular  navigation  com- 
mences in  the  middle  of  May.  when  the  mail  service  is  |)crformcd  b.\  the 
steamers  of  Sheveliov  and  Company  sulisidisinl  by  the  Government,  antl  subject 
to  the  obligation  to  i)ass  once  in  two  weeks  along  the  Strait  of  Tartary.  The 
mail  steamers  run  into  port  Korsakov  not  more  than  once  a  month. 

From  the  end  of  October  to  the  end  of  December,  when  the  .\mur  liman 
is  completely  frost-bound,  and  from  the  middle  of  March  to  the  end  i<\  \\>r\\. 
the  island  is  completely  deprived  of  communication  with  the  mainland,  ex- 
cept by  telegrajdi.  During  the  remaining  winter  months,  the  |)ost  is  carried 
by  dogs  from  .N'ikolaevsk  to  the  .\mur  on  the  1-st  and  1,5-th  of  each  month. 
Passenger  traffic  is  also  i>erformed  with  sledges  drawn  by  dogs. 

The  natural  wealth  of  .Sakhalin,  consisting  in  numerous  coal  deposits, 
gold  mines,  naphtha  springs,  virgin  forests  of  fir  and  foliage  trees,  in  the 
abundance  of  marine  animals  anil  lish,  sea-cabbage  ami  trepang,  gives  gi-eat 
importance  to  this  islaml.  pruuiisinir  it.s  future  develnpineni  iritn  a  vast  trad- 
ing and  industrial  colonv. 


480 


(HIIUE  TO  THE  UKKAT  SIBERIAN  KAII.WAY. 


l!l  III.MKil^  A  I'll  V: 

Viiyaire  to  tlio  Island  cf  Siikjuiliii  in  ] .SSO— 1  fSfS'i,  liy  I'oliiikov.  8t.  I'liy.  1S8:!.  The  Ishmd 
of  Siikliiilin  and  its  fauna  (vertobrate  animals),  liy  A.  Nil<('dsky.  St.  Plig.,  I8S().  Skotcli  of  tlic 
Amur  reffion,  tlu'  southern  part  of  the  Littoral  territory  and  of  the  Island  of  Saklialin  from  a 
ii'eolofrieal  ajul  mining-  standpoint,  hy  Bog-oliubsky,  St.  Pbg'.  187tj.  Visit  to  Sakhalin  and  Seal 
Island,  liy  liosset.  Memoirs  of  the  Company  lor  the  exploration  of  the  Amur  region,  V(d.  I.  IH'.)."). 

Indn.strial  wealth  of  Kamehtatka.  Sakhalin  and  the  Koinandor  islands.  Ii\   Slii'inin,  IStl'i.  The 


Ann'ir  region  at 
IS9U    and     ISil? 
nov.  Tomsk. 


le  Nizhni  Novgorod  e\liihiti<Mi  hy    Kriuko' 
Siberian    trade    and    indnstry   calendars 


,   IS'.tO.    The    Sakhalin   cah'udars   for 
fcr  1891)  to  1899.  edited  h\  Roma- 


'  ■jjaj^'IfcMly^' 


^jr^^^**^"*^^  '   ' 


Manchuria  and  the  East-Chinese  railway. 


Geographical  sketch  of  Manchuria. — Configuration  of  the  surface,— Hydrography, —Cli- 
mate.—Flora. — Fauna. — Population,— Industry  and  Trade,  Administration. — Organisation 
of  the  Kwantiin  territory. — The  East  Chinese  railway  and  the  South  Manchurian  line. — 

Bibliography, 


Unchuria   covers   the    north-eastern  part  of  the  Chinese  Em- 

'l>ire.  lying  approximately  between  53'  and  38'  X.  lat.  8t5.5  and 

104.5'  E.  long,  from  St.  Petersburg.  On  the  north-west,  north 

and  west  it  is  bounded  by  the  Russian  Empire,   on  the  west 

and    south-west    by   Mongolia   and  China  pi-oper.  and  on  the 

south  and  south-east  by  the  Yellow  Sea  (the  Gulfs  or  Korea 

and  Liao-dtin)  and  Korea. 

This  country  derives  its  name  from  the  tribe  of  Manchu.  its  predominant 

inhal)itants.    In    China   it   is  known  under  the  name  of  Dun-san-shen.  which 

literally  means  .Three  eastern  provinces-  (Khei-lun-lsian-shen  or  .\miir  i)ro- 

vince.  Tsin-hin-shen  or  Girin.  and  Shen-tsin-shen  or  Mukden  province). 

The  superficial  area  of  Manchuria  somprises  about  600.000  square  versts. 
nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  Transbaikal  territory  and  twice  as  large  as 
Japan.  The  northern  and  greater  portion  is  occu|)ied  by  the  .\nuir  and  Suifun 
basins,  and  contains  the  two  provinces  of  Khe-ilun-shen  and  Tsin-lim-shen 
traversed  by  the  future  East  Chinese  Railway;  the  southern  and  smaller 
part,  watered  by  the  basins  of  the  rivers  Liso-Khe  and  Yaiun-tsiau  and  the 
■fellow  Sea.  consists  of  the  Shen-tsin-shen  province  and  is  traversed  by  the 
future  South  Manchurian  line. 

In  respect  of  the  character  of  the  surface,  that  of  northern  Manchuria  is 
mainly  mountainous.  On  the  west,  running  along  the  meridian,  stretches  the 
Great  Khingan,  forming  a  far-spreading  mountain  range  extending'  frr)m  the 


48-2 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SrBERlAN  RAILWAY. 


Iroiilier  of  China  proper  along  the  Amur,  for  a  distance  of  looi)  vorsts,  with 
an  avei-an'o  breadth  of  300  versts. 


Valley  of  the  river  Dzhad-uniir-got. 


On  the  north,  the  Great  Khingan  border.-;  on  the  Il-Kluin-Ahn  mountain 
system,  further  east  it  joins  the  spurs  of  the  Little  Khingan.  The  area  east- 
wards of  the  Sungari  and  a  great  portitni  on  tlie  south  are  covered  by  the 
mountain  system  of  Chan-bo-shan  and  its  numerous  branches.  The  highest 
point  of  this  mountain  system  is  the  .summit  of  the  Batton-shan  (1800  feet 
above  sea-level)  presenting  a  gigantic  column  standing  on  the  frontier  of 
.Manchuria  and  Korea,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  rise  the  three  chief  water 
arteries  of  the  country:  the  Sungari,  the  Tumyn-ula  and  the  Yabi-tsin.  The 
population  of  Manchuria  and  Korea  particularly  venerates  this  locality,  con- 
secrated to  the  forefathers  of  the  Manchurian  dynasty  reigning  in  China.  The 
Bai-tou-shan  is  an  extinct  volcano,  whose  crater  is  converted  into  a  dd'p  lake 
with  a  circumference  of  9  to  10  versts.  fringed  with  sharii-jiointed  peaks  rising 
500  feet  above  sea-level.  The  top  of  the  mountain  is  covered  with  fragments 
of  pumice  and  is  of  a  white  colour,  which  accounts  for  its  name  of  White- 
headed  Mountain.  The  local  inhabitants  designate  the  mountain  lake  by  the 
name  of  Lun-van-tan  or  Lake  of  the  Dragon  King. 

The  western  spur  ot  the  Chan-bo-shan  system  bears  the  name  of  Ku-le; 
between  the  Sungari  and  its  tributary,  the  Mudiin-tsian,  stretches  another 
far  and  wide  spreading  branch  of  the  Chzhan-guan-tsan-li'n.  The  eastern  spurs 
occupy  an  extensive  area  between  the  rivers  Tuman-ula,  Suifiin  and  Ussi'iri. 
frhey  all  have  here  different  names  (Kharbilin.  Sao-e-lin.  Chan-lin-tsa,  Kentei- 
.\lin.  Van-lun-hou,  Mukhdokhi'ii  etc.)  and  are  cut  at  several  points  by  the 
future  railway  line. 

The  character  of  the  surface  in  southern  Manchuria  is  like  that  of  the 
northern  i)art:  it  is  mainly  covered  with  low  ridges  divided  into  two  groups 


MANCHCRIA  ASH  THK  EAST  CHINKSE  KAILWAY. 


4S8 


l>.v  iIk-  Ui'iiail  valley  nf  the  Liao-khc.  fallin.u:  into  the  Liaci-diin  (liilf.  All  these 
iiiiuintaiii  ridires,  with  the  exceiilien  of  those  cominii-  u\<  to  the  western  hord- 
er  of  till'  Liao-kh('  valley,  form  part  of  the  <"han-l)o-sh;'in  system 

Southern  Manchuria,  known  under  the  name  ot'  the  Liao-diin  Peninsula. 
Iiavinj;  the  form  of  a  triangle,  iirojects  into  the  Yellow  Sea.  It.  is  also  cov- 
ered with  low  mountains,  whose  summit.s  do  not  exceed  a  hei.siht  of  3.()00 
to  r>.(n)  feet  ahove  sea-level. 

In  s|>ite  of  the  inconsiderahle  eli'valion  of  the  luoiiniaiii  nias.ses,  th(»  area 
occujiied  by  the  Liao-dun  Peninsula,  endowed  with  but  a  scanty  ve,a;etation 
and  owinii  to  the  rugged  outlines  of  the  mountains,  has  a  very  dreary  cha- 
racter. The  southern  extremity  of  Liao-diin  or  the  so  called  Guandi'in  or  Kwang- 
tiing  Peninsula  is  also  mountainous,  although  possessing  softer  outlines.  .\ 
ram  0  of  rocky  hills  here  runs  from  X.  K.  to  S.  W.  The  valleys  interspersed 
between  the.se  ranges  are  mostly  endowed  with  clayey  soils. 

The  coast  of  the  Guan-dun  at  some  places  falls  abruptly  to  the  sea,  but 
all  the  elevations  assume  a  softer  and  rounder  outline. 


The  expedition  of  Engineer  Svidgin  in  a  gorge  of  the  Wan-lun-h6u  ridge.- 

The  mineral  wealth  of  Manchuria  is  not  yet  fully  explored  but,  according 
to  certain  data,  it  may  be  regarded  as  very  considerable.  Coal-beds  occin*  at 
many  places  along  the  line  of  the  future  railway,  and  principally  on  the  Liao- 
diin  Peninsula  and  throughout  the  coast  of  the  Yellow  Sea.  Iron,  silver,  tin 
iind  gold  are  to  be  found  on  the  Khingan  and  also  in  the  si)urs  of  the  Chan- 
bo-shan  ri<lge.  The  recent  explorations  id'  the  Ciuan-dim  peninsula  ascertained 
the  extraordinary  auriferous  nature  of  the  whole  territory.  Gold  has  been 
found  here  in  arravel  and  veins.  In  this  resi)ect.  special  attention  is  due  to 
the  environs  of  Hit.sy-vo-Tsin-chzhou  and  Port-.\rthur. 

The  hydro>rrai)hy  of  Northern  Manchuria  is  the  same  in  character  as  that 
of  tlie  neighbouring  sections  of  the  .Siberian  territory,  viz.  in  the  .\iiuir  anil 
Littoral  regions. 

Tlie  rain  brought  by  the  monsoons  accounts  for  the  numerous  streams 
and  swamps.  In  connexion  with  the  distribution  of  the  rainfall,  the  rivers  of 


4S4 


GTKPE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


Miuii-liuri;i  (iNri'lliiw  iwii-c  a  yt'iir.  in  spriiii;',    trmii    llic    I'tTi'd   nf  llic    iiicllinir 
snow  and  in  sumnicr,  in  conseiiuoncc  of  tlio  abundant  rainfall. 

The  groater  number  of  rivers  in  Northern  Manchuria  belouii-  In  ihi'  .\iuur 
system;  however  the  chief  artery  of  the  country  is  not  the  .\niur.  repiM^sen- 
ting  over  a  great  extent  the  frontier  of  Rus.sia  and  Cliina.  but  its  aHluent 
the  8ungari,  flowing  acros.s  the  centre  of  the  country. 

.Vmong  tlio  streams  forining  the  Aniui'  and  its  I'igiit  tril)utaries  tlowin.g 
witliin  the  limits  of  Manchuria,    the    iirincijial    are:    the    Khailar,    compo.sing 

tiie  upper  part  ol'tho  Argun  with  its  afflu- 
ent the  Ilien-liol;  the  Albozikha  receiving 
t  he  Zheltuga,  known  for  its  rich  gold  mines, 
and  the  Kuniara,  Cheni,  Khurpi.  I'i-klie. 
the  Sungari  or  Sun-khua-tsian  having  a 
Iciiutli    of   about  2.000  versts. 

The  wliole  course  of  the  Sungari,  ac- 
cordin.ii:  to  its  conditions,  uuiy  be  divi- 
ded inio  three  parts:  the  iip])er  part  to 
the  town  of  (iirin  which  is  not  navi- 
gaiile,  tile  central  part  from  Girin  to  the 
town  of  Bodune,  navi.gable  only  during 
liinh  water,  and  the  lower  part  which  is 
navigable  throughout  its  course.  The  most 
important  left  affluents  id'  tlie  Sungari 
are:  the  l-tiin-khe,  the  jiartly  navigable 
Xonni.  tlte  Kliilun-khe,  the  Taun-liira:  oi^ 
the  right,  it  receives  the  Solin-klic  and 
I  lie  Mudan-tsian  or  Khurkha. 

.\niong  the  triliutaries  (d'  the  I'ssurj 
watering  Manchuria,  the  most  important 
is  the  Sungach,  taking  its  source  from 
Laki'  Khanka,  the  Muren  anil  Xor. 

Among    the    rivers   of  northern  Man- 
churia, belonging  to  the  basin  of  the  Yell- 
ow Sea,  the  principal  are:  the  Tumiui-ula, 
and  the  Suifun  naviijable  within  the  limits  of 


Types  of  Chinese. 


navigable  in  its  lower  reachci 
Russian  territory. 

Southern  Manchuria,  subject  to  (he  intluence  of  the  Yellow  Seaandioan 
abundant  rainfall,  is  irrigated  ii,\  niimn'oiis  running  waters.  The  largest  of 
its  rivers  is  the  I.,ia-khe  falling  into  the  Liao-dun  Gulf  and  having  a  length 
of  8(X)  versts:  another  important  river  bordering  on  Korea  is  the 
Yalii-tsiiin. 

The  mountainous  idiaracter  of  the  Liao-dun  Peuinsida,  devoid  of  foresis 
which  coidd  serve  to  dii'ect  the  course  of  the  running;-  waters,  prevents  the 
formation  of  considerable  water  basins.  .VII  the  rivers  traversing  the  pen- 
nsula  have  a  very  inconsiderable  length  and  an  inconstant  level,  jiossessing 
the  character  of  mountain   strcinis 

.Vs  regards  the  GuauMliiu  or  K'wan-lung  I'lUiinsuia,  tin-  runuiuir  watei' 
assumes  there  tlic  roriii  of  mountain  streams,  wliicli  iire  irrepi'cssiblr  and 
full-flowing  during  the  period  of  snow  and  raiulall,  and  dr\-  up  utterlx  during 
the  other  seasons.  l'|)on  the  whole,  the  peninsula  sutfers  from  an  absence 
of  water,    in  spite  of  the  .ibundance  of  rainfall.    There  are  only  a  few  wells, 


f 


MANCHURIA    \N"I)   TMK   KAST  nilNICSK  RAILWAY. 


-t«5 


containing  wator  of  a  bad  iiiialiix.  whii-ji  <-an  lie  cinploycii  fcir  (lrini\  only 
altt-T  havini:  lioen  boiled  or  tillcrod. 

Among  tiie  laice  basins,    the  most  important  in  northern    Manclitiiia  are 
the    t)alai-n(ir  or  Kuhin   with   an  extent 
of  about  KKK)  s(iuare  versts,  the  Buir-m'ir. 
somewhat  interior  in  size,  and  the  Kliank;i 
oeeiipying   about  4,(XX1  square  versts. 

The  coast-line  bounded  by  the  Yellow 
Sea.  flowing  round  the  Liao-dun  Peninsul.i. 
is  comparatively  even  in  outline  contain 
ing  only   on  the  south  several  deep  bay-~ 
en  the  eastern  and  western  coasts. 

The  eastern  shore  comprises  the  bays 
of  Liui-shun-kou  (Port  .\i'thur),  Da-lian  van 
(Talienviin)  and  others  of  lesser  imp 
ortance.  Sini-shun-kou  Bay  is  over  2  versts 
lonir  and  al>"Ut  11'.'  versts  broad,  being 
connected  with  the  open  sea  by  a  lorn: 
and  narrow  passage,  of  about  a  verst  in 
length,  with  a  breadth  of  l.iO  to  200  sazhens. 
At  the  entrance  of  this  bay.  lies  a  wide 
roadstead  suitable  for  the  manoeuverinir 
of  a  great  number  of  vessels,  being  well  pro- 
tected by  the  surnninding  elevations  from 
northerly  and  westerly  winds,  but  very 
dangerous  during  southerly  and  easterly 
winds,  making  the  water  very  rough. 

This  roadstead    is  free   of  ice  all   the 
year  round.  Situated  4.5  versts  north  east 

of  Sini-shun-kou  (Port  Arthur)  Da-lian-Viin  Bay  (Talienvjin)  is  botter  |iio- 
tected  from  winds  and  from  the  violence  of  the  waves,  by  elevated  capes 
|iro.jectin;r  into  the  sea.  and  for  this  reason  has  a  great  advantage  over  the 
southern  i)ay.  r>alian-van  presenting  a  wide  gulf.  al>out  12  versts  long  and 
10  Versts  broad,  with  several  bays,  which  never  freeze,  offers  i-vory  i-nnvcn- 
ience  for  the  arrangement  of  a  commercial  port. 

On  the  western  .shore  of  the  Liao-di'in  Peninsula  at  its  southern  cxtnin- 
ity.  are  two  bays  Pigeon  and  Louisa,  with  an  anchorage  for  ships. 

Further  north  on  the  Liao-dun  i-oast.  ("omiiany  Bay  is  provided  with 
a  convenient  anchorage  for  shijis.  shelterod  as  it  is  by  numei-ous  island 
groups. 

The  climate  of  Northern  Manchuiia  i>  particularly  sever*'  and  much 
colder  than  in  other  parts  of  the  world  lying  within  the  same  latitudes.  In 
proximity  to  the  northern  part  of  the  Suni;ari.  the  cold  attains  a  maximum 
of— 4.t'  R.,  whereas  west  of  the  Khingan  it  is  often— .W    R. 

Navigation  on  the  Sungari  is  practicable  only  from  the  middle  of  April 
to  the  end  of  October.  Winter  lasts  here  for  .5  months.  The  ice  covering  the 
Sungari  attains  a  thickness  of  .S  feet.  Further  west,  near  the  source  of  the 
.\rgun.  the  duration  of  the  winter  is  about  0  months.  The  spring  is  short, 
the  greater  part  of  the  corn  is  already  sown  in  .Vjiril.  The  change  from  cold 
to  warm  weather  is  very  sudden,  jiccompanied  by  an  extraorilinarily  r-apid 
growth  of  the  vegetation.  The  summer  is  very  warm.  The  autumn  commences 


onincsc  woman. 


486 


GtTirE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


early,  the  leaves    fall  at    the   heirinninK  of   Seiiteinber,   ami    mnrniii;,'   frosts 
heiiin  at  the  end  of  this  month. 

The  southerly  and  south-easterly  winds,  prevailinu-  durinii-  the  summer, 
bring  a  great  amount  of  moisture  turning  into  rain.  In  the  valley  of  the 
Sungari  and  throughout  the  central  part  of  Manchuria,  the  rain,  season 
commences  in  the  middle  of  June,  and  in  the  north-western  ])ortion  in  -)uly. 
.\s  a  consequence  of  the  northerly  and  north-westerly  dry  winds  hlnwing  in 
winter,  the  i|uantity  of  snow  falling  in  Mani-lun-ia  is  not  considerable,  with 
the  exception  of  the  high  ridges  of  the  Gi-eat  Khingan. 


Temple. 


The  climate  of  the  southern  jiart  of  Manchuria,  and  cspecialx  of  the 
Liao-diin  Peninsula,  whose  south-eastern  coast  is  bounded  by  the  warm  Ko- 
rean current,  is  considerably  warmer.  The  extreme  northern  port  which  docs 
not  freeze  is  the  Bi-tsy-vo.  The  average  winter  temi)erature  at  Fort-.\rthiir 
is  6°— 7°.5  C.  below  zero.  In  the  middle  of  March,  the  temperature  rises 
considerably,  a  short  spring  precedes  a  warm  summer,  characterised  liy  rain 
and  thunderstorms.  The  best  time  of  the  year  at  Liao-dun  is  the  autumn, 
which  like  the  sirring  is  very  short. 

The  flora  and  fauna  of  Northern  Manchuria,  upon  the  whole,  an^  like 
those  of  the  Amiir  territory  and  the  Ussuri  region.  The  vegetation  of  South- 
ern Manchuria,  as  well  as  its  animal  life,  offers  a  mixture  of  North  Chin- 
ese and  Amur  representatives,  with  species  from  south-eastern  Mongolia, 
Korea  and  Japan. 

Together  with  forms  common  to  the  extreme  north,  such  as  the  sable, 
the  Bengal  tiger,  the  most  dangerous  carnivore  of  Asia,  occurs  in  Manchuria. 

The  population  of  Manchuria,  accordin.g  to  approximate  calculations,  for 
want  of  any  official  data,  may  be  estimated  at  about  1 ;"),()()().( kx)  (the  Khei- 
lun-tsian-shen  province  about  2,00(1,000,  Tsian-lun-slic'-u  7.o<k).()(MI  and  Shen- 
tsin-shen  6,(X)0,000). 


Manchuria  and  the  east  thinese  railway. 


487 


Among  the  most  po|)ulous  localities  are  the  valley  of  the  river  Liao-klie, 
the  IViiinsula  of  rJao-dun  and  the  central  part  of  the  Siingan  basin. 

The  iiopulalion  con.sists  of  Chinese.  Manchu.s,  Koreans.  Uaiirs.  Oroehens, 
Birars,  Mam-grs.  (iolils.  Scions.  Buriiits,  Chipchins  and  (^lots.  'I'iu'  most  num- 
erous are  the  Ciiinese,  who  a  long  time  sinee  gra(iiiall.\  colonised  the 
countr.v  and  founded  the  first  towns  in  Southern  Manchuria.  The  stream  of 
Chinese  emigrants  was  greatly  increased  from  the  middle  of  the  past  cent- 
ury by  the  addition  of  peasants  and  runawav  criminals,  gold-hunters  and 
gatherers  of  the  zh<>n-sii(Mi  root.  Part  of  these  outlanders  became  l)i'iirands  called 
khunkhuz.  who  hold  the  peaceful  inhabitants  in  awe.  By  this  time,  the  Chin- 
ese occupy  the  whole  of  the  Shen-tsun-shen  province,  they  are  scattered 
all  over  that  of  Tsin-lin-shen,  and  tbini  a  considerable  percentage  in  the 
Khei-lun-tsian-sht*n  i)rovince.  Owing  to  the  energy  and  industry  of  the  Chin- 
ese population,  the  southern  and  part  of  the  central  portion  of  Manchuria, 
now  but  slightly  differ  as  regards  culture  from  the  adjoining:  Chinese 
countries. 


Croup  of  Chinese  officials.  Buridts  and  SoI6ns. 


The  number  of  .Manchus  is  given  at  6i)0,i)00  to  Tuu.tWii,  mainly  settled  in 
towns,  where  they  enjoy  a  privileged  position,  being  enrolled  in  the  Manchu 
troops  or  servinir  as  ofl'icials  in  various  administrative  institutions.  The 
Manchus  form  part  of  the  country  population  only  in  the  two  northern  pro- 
vinces, whereas  they  are  totally  absent  iherofrom  in  the  soiilliern.  Shen- 
tsian-shen  province. 

Among  the  other  tribes,  the  most  numerous  are  the  Koreans,  represented 
by  .iO.«X). 

The  iirevailing  religion  is  Buddhism  in  its  various  forms. 

The  chief  occupation  of  the  permanent  populatimi  of  Manchuria  is  agri- 
culture. Latterly,  the  Chinese  Government  paid  special  care  to  its  di-velop- 
ment.  taking  measures  for  the  settlement  of  the  free  lands  and  for  the  ex- 
pansion   of  the   cultivated    tracts.   The   cereals    cultivated   are:  wheat,  oats. 

.'VIA 


488 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN   RAILWAY. 


Iiarlcy,  variDUs  kinds  nt  millet  ami  l>uck\vlu'at.  iiiai/.c  ami  rice  in  tlic  south- 
ern districts.  Among  the  forms  of  Ijarley,  the  first  place  is  occupied  by 
Indian  barley  and  Chinese  gao-lin,  which  is  used  in  making  vodka. 

Among  the  numerous  leguminous  plants,  the  da-dou,  yielding  oil,  is 
extensively  cultivated.  Pop))ies  are  also  sown  in  great  quantity  for  the  prepa- 
ration of  opium.  Considerable  tracts  are  occupied  by  plantations  of  tobacco, 
smoked  by  old  and  young,  including  the  women.  In  the  south  of  the  Shen- 
tsian-shen  province,  cotton  is  cultivated.  The  orchards  are  a  great  hel])  to 
the  population.  Every  Chinese  hut  is  provided  with  a  carefully  kept  kitchen 
garden,  provided  with  the  vegetables  usually  cultivated  in  the  central  zone 
of   the   Eurojiean    continent,   with    a  profusion  of  onions,  garlic  and  peiiper, 


Carriage  of  Chinese  official. 

pointing  to  the  preference  of  the  Chinese  for  vegetable   food  seasoned   with 
strong  spices. 

In  the  southern  portion  of  Manchuria,  mainly  in  the  Liao-dun  Peninsula, 
the  inhabitants  occupy  themselves  with  silk  cultivation,  the  following  towns 
being  the  chief  centres  of  this  industry:  Siu-yan-chzhou,  Tsin-chzhou-fu,  Fu- 
chzhou.  The  silk  is  obtained  from  the  cocoon  of  the  Bombyx  Pernyi,  feeding 
on  oak-leaves  (Quercus  Mongolica,  Sinensis  and  dentata). 

Fruit-trees  such  as  apple,  pear,  peach,  plum  etc.  occur  throughout  Man- 
churia, with  the  exception  of  the  northern  parts,  but  it  is  only  in  the  south 
that  these  trees  attain  a  fair  growth.  Vineyards  are  met  with  in  the  south 
of  the  country. 

.Vmong  lU'ofilabU;  industries  may  be  mentiimed  tlu'  gathering  of  the  zIkmi- 
sht-n  root  (zhinzeng  or  Panax  gyezeng).  which  tlu'  (.'liinese  consider  as  a 
panacea  nnd  a  restorer  of  lost  vigour. 

Cattle-i'aisiug  is  extensively  jiractised  in  Manchuria.  A  gn^at  (|uautity  ot 
cattle  is  bred  in  the  Kheilun-tsian-shen  province,  exclusively  for  agricultural 
IHirposes  and  for  transitort;  the  Chinese  scarcely  ever  eat  meat,  and  very 
rarely  kill  their  cattle.  Milk  products  likewise  are  not  used  \>y  them  foi'  lood. 


M.VNCHURIA  AND  THE  EAST  CHINESE  RAILWAY. 


489 


The  horses  of  northern  Mant-huriii  are  famous.  The  camels  are  employed  as 
I'ack-aniiiiaN   in  this  country    In  ihi>  southi'rn  imriion  nf  the  Liao-diin  I'l-nin- 


Sol6n  tent  in  the  steppe. 

sula,  poorly  iirovided  with  pastui-es,  cattle  breeding   is   less   develoi)ed.    The 
north  of  Mnncluiria  e\|iorts  droves  oC  cattle  for  slauirhter  to  tlic  .Vnuir  region. 


Chipchins  in  the  Sigcldzhl  steppe. 


sending  them  from  the  town  o(  Khailarto  Blagoveshchensk  for  further  convey- 
ance by  the  .\miir. 


490 


uuiDE  I'o  Tin;  gki;at  sibekiax  railway. 


Fisliin.;;'  is  cnrrirrl  on  in  Iho  localitios  waici'rd  li.v  tlic  Ainui- and  ihe  Siin- 
iXM-i.  but  mostly  aliHi.i;  the  sea-coast  when'  fisii,  hosidos  fopresenting  the  chiel' 
food  of  the  population,  ai'o  also  an  ai'ticle  of  export  to  other  eountries,  after 
having  been  dried  in  th(>  open  air.  Very  good  oysters  are  to  he  had  in  Oa- 
lian-v:in  and  Hi-fsy-v6. 

Manufactures,  on  aecoiini  of  the  small  development  of  mining  industr.\ 
anil  the  low  stage  of  prosperity  of  the  population,  is  exclusively  represented 
Ijy  handicraft  production,  calculated  to  meet  the  daily  needs  of  a  hardly  i-ivi- 
lised  population.  The  chief  forms  of  industry  are  oil-pressing  and  brandy  di- 
stilling. Oil  is  obtained  trom  beans  and  i)eas  l)y  means  of  very  primitive  presses. 

I'hinese  vodka  is  prei)arated  mainly  tVom  millet  (gaolin). 

Local  cotton  and  silk  .-ire  used  in  weaving:  stuff's. 


Dauii,  wilh  Iheir  w;iygons. 


Trade  in  Manchuria  is  mainly  concentrated  in  its  southern  i)orts  and  in 
the  towns  of  the  fcihen-tsian-shen  province.  The  larger  part  of  Huropean  and 
American  goods  are  imported  through  the  ports  of  In-tsy,  Port  Arthur,  Bi- 
tsy-vo  and  Da-gu-shan.  A  lively  trade  is  also  carried  on  through  the  frontier 
with  the  Amur  province.  Among  European  and  American  goods,  the  first 
plac(>  belongs  to  cotton  stuff's,  metals,  woollen  iiroduce  and  opium.  Along  the 
fi'ontier  line  bordering  the  Amur  territories,  trade  assumes  a  local  character 
and  consists  in  the  barter  of  mainly  animal  products. 

For  purposes  of  administration,  Manchuria  is  divided  into  three  provinces 
each  being  subject  to  a  s))ecial  Tsian-Tsiun  or  Governor- General;  thanks 
to  the  many  peiniliar  customs  always  characterising  a  diversifiecl  |iopnlation. 
the  forms  of  administration  are  very  complicated.  The  ancient  Mamdu'is  with 
riimains  of  their  former  military  organisation,  foreign  Chinese  having  iini>orted 
forms  of  administration  from  the  central  provinces  of  the  Empire,  wander- 
ing- Mnn.^'ols,  Tungiis  trappers  and  other    nom.-ul    tribes    with    their  pi'iniitive 


MANCHURIA  AND  THE  EAST  CHINESE  UAILWAY. 


4  111 


customs  found  a  shelter  in  Manchuria  and  intlucncod  its  administrative  orjr- 
anisation.    As   stated    l>.v    travellers,    in  Manchiiri:i  ii"  livinL'  l>"nd   c\j<t-;    Kc- 


il 


tween  the  iioiuilation  and  the  administration,  and  their  mutual  intercourse  is 
very  often  based  on  hatred  of  each  other.  Espionage  and  denunciation  hold 
their  sway  everywhere,  the   raising   of  taxes    is   accomplisheil    without  any 


492  GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIHERIAN  RAILWAY. 

control  and  justice  is  very  irregularly  administered.  Complaints  against  the 
inertness  of  the  police  are  heard  on  all  sides,  and  thefts  and  robbery  go 
unpunished.  The  workmen,  as  well  as  the  Russian  agents  and  engineers  cm- 
l)l(iye(l  in  the  construetinn  of  the  railway,  nre  r(uistantly  attacked  by  bands 
of  armed  khunklui.s. 

Being  leased  to  the  Russian  (iovei-nmeni  by  a  special  agreement,  con- 
cluded on  the  15  March,  1898,  part  of  Liao-dim,  the  so  called  Guan-dun  I'enin- 
sula,  received  a  separate  administration  by  the  statute  of  the  16  August,  1899, 
sanctioned  by  the  Emperor.  The  whole  of  the  said  territory  inclusive  of  the 
islands,  forms  the  Kvantiin  province,  whose  administration  being  entrusted 
to  the  Commander  of  the  Territorial  Troops  and  of  the  Pacific  Fleet,  is  subject 
to  the  Ministry  of  War.  The  centre  of  administration  is  Port  Arthur.  The 
following  places  are  raised  to  the  rank  of  towns  in  the  territory:  Port  Arthur, 
Bi-tsy-vo,  Tsin-chzhou  and  Dalni  (Talienvan),  constituting  a  separate  gover- 
norship under  the  Ministry  of  Finance.  The  organisation  of  the  new  town  of 
[)alni  is  left  to  the  East  Chinese  Railway  ('omi)any.  under  the  chief  direction 
of  the  Minister  of  Finance. 

The  unfavourable  conditions  and  technical  difficulties  attending  the  pro- 
jected construction  of  a  railway  line  on  the  northern  side  of  the  Amur,  unit- 
ing the  Transbaikal  Railway  with  the  Ussuri  line,  evoked  the  project  of  a 
railway  from  the  Transbaikal  to  Vladivostok  by  a  more  southern  and  direct 
route  across  Manchuria. 

The  choice  of  this  route  was  in  so  tar  desirable  as  thus  the  railway 
passed  through  a  more  populous  and  fertile  country,  with  a  better  climate 
than  the  Amur  region.  Including  in  the  sphere  of  Russian  influence  a  rich  and 
thickly-settled  country,  the  projected  line  moreover  reduces  the  length  of 
the  iSiherJan  main  line  and  the  distance  run  by  transit  goods,  this  also  being 
a  very  important  fact  in  connexion  with  the  future  competition  between  the 
Siberian  Railway  and  the  sea-routes  to  the  Par  East.  The  negotiations  with 
the  Chinese  Government  regarding  the  construction  of  the  Siberian  main 
line  across  Manchuria  terminated  in  a  concession  for  the  construction 
and  e.\.ploitation  of  the  Manchurian  railway  granted  to  the  Russo-Chinese 
Hank. 

According  to  the  contract,  concluded  on  the  27  August,  1896,  between  the 
Chinese  Govei'nment  and  the  Russo-Chinese  Bank,  the  East  Chinese  Railway 
joint  stock  Company  was  organised  within  the  confines  of  Manchuria  for  the 
construction  and  exploitation  of  the  line. 

The  statutes  of  the  Bast  Chinese  Railway  Company,  sanctioned  on  the 
4  l)ecember,  1896,  stipulated  that  the  construction  of  the  line  was  to  be  started 
not  later  than  the  16  August.  1897,  with  a  gauge  corresponding  to  that  of  the 
Russian  railways,  viz.  .5  feet. 

On  the  expirati(m  of  30  yeai-s  after  the  completion  of  the  whole  lino  and  Ihc 
opening  of  traffic,  the  Chinese  Government  possesses  the  right  of  redemption, 
repaying  to  the  Company  the  capital  and  the  debts  contracted  for  the  needs 
of  the  railway,  with  interest,  .\fter  a  period  of  80  years,  during  which  the 
line  is  to  be  exploited  by  the  Comi)any,  the  Chinese  GovernnnoU  takes  grat- 
uitous possession  of  ttie  i-aihvay  and  its  plant. 

The  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  Company  is  entrusted  lo  a  lioanl 
composed  of  a  president  and  9  members.  The  president,  acting  as  inlernuMliai'y 
between  the  Company  and  the  Chinese  Government,  is  appointi'd  by  tin' 
latter,  whereas  the  niemliers  are  elected  1),\"  all  the  shareholders. 


MANCHURIA  AND  THK  EAST  CHINKSK  RAILWAY. 


493 


Tlu"  iinmccliati'  nianairoinout  ol  allairs  dovolvcs  on  the  vici'-iiri>si(ii'nt 
chosen  from  among  the  monibers  of  ilic  Company.  The  chii'f  offico  i.s  in 
-^t.  I'etersliur.i:.  witli  a  branch  in  Pi'kin. 


Tho  tollowini;  elections  took  |)lace  in  liecenilier  of  LSDii.  wlien  tin'  (diii|iaM.\ 
started    its   activity.    Railway  engineer  S.  1.  Kerbedz      vice-i)resident,  I'.  1». 


41)4 


GUIDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


Pokotilov  —  member  o[  tlie  hoard  in  Pekiii,  iirivy  councilof  i'.  M.  I^niiaiinv. 
A.  Y.  Rotstein,  prince  E.  E.  I'lvhtomsiiy,  the  railway  engineei-s  Alexeev  ami 
Kov;\niio  -  members  of  the  board  in  St.  Petersburg  and  engineer  Ziglor 
von  Scliat'liausen  -  managing  director.  The  latter  having  been  appointed  in 
the  autumn  of  1899  as  director  of  the  Railway  Department  in  the  Ministry 
of  Finance,  railway  engineer  A.  \.  Wentzel  was  elected  to  the  post. 
Engineer  A.  1.  Yugovich,  former  constructor  of  the  lines  of  the  Riazan-L'ral 
railway  Company,  was  engaged  as  chief  constructor  of  the  Manchurian  line, 
engineer  S.  V.  Ignatius  being  his  a.ssistant  and  substitute. 

In  January  of  1897,  by  a  decree  of  the  Cliinese  Emperor,  the  Chinese 
statesman  Sui-tsin-chen,  former  ambassador  in  St.  Petersburg  and  Berlin,  at 
present  member  of  the  Tsun-li-yamen,  was  named  president  of  the  board. 

In  the  beginning  of  April,  1897,  the  first  body  of  engineers  and  agents 
set  forth  for  the  Far  East  and,  upon  arriving  at  Vladivostok,  under  the 
immediate  direction  of  the  chief  engineer  began  the  surveys  for  the  future 
railway  and  the  preliminary  works  required  for  its  construction.  On  the 
Hi  August  of  the  same  year,  in  presence  of  the  Tsian-Tsiun  of  Girin,  the 
military  governor  of  the  Littoral  territory  and  of  the  local  Russian  and 
Chinese  officials,  the  works  commenced  near  the  Cossack  village  of  Poltav- 
skaya,  situated  in  proximity  to  the  boundary  of  the  South-l'ssuri  re.gion.  On 
undertaking  the  execution  of  the  East  Chinese  railway,  the  Company  had  in 
view  the  construction  of  a  railway  crossing  Manchuria  from  west  to  east, 
viz.  from  the  boundary  of  the  Transbaikal  to  that  of  the  South-Ussuri  region. 
After  the  convention  between  Russia  and  China  regarding  the  cession  of 
Port  Arthiir  and  Da-lian-v;in  to  Russia  for  a  25  years'  lease  was  signed  in 
Pekin  on  the  15  March,  1898,  and  a  supplementary  jirotocol  in  St.  Petersburg 
(in  tiu>  15  April  of  the  same  year,  the  Imperial  Chinese  Government  granted 
the  Company  permission  to  continue  the  construction  of  the  railway  from 
one  of  the  stations  of  the  ]SIanchurian  main  line  to  Pa-lian-van  and  Port 
.\rthur,  with  the  right  of  exploitation  of  the  lu-anch.  which  received  the 
name  of  Soiith-Manchurian  branch  of  the  East  Chinese  railway. 

Upon  the  conclusion  of  this  treaty,  the  Company  began  directly  to  nuike 
surveys  and  commenced  the  construction  of  the  South-iIanch\irian  line.  As 
a  result  of  repeated  surveys,  the  following  dii-ections  were  adopted  for  the 
main  route  and  its  branches. 

Crossing  the  Transbaikal  frontiei-   at   the   station  of  Sibir  on  the  Trans- 
baikal railway  and  entering  into  the  confines  of  the  Chinese  Empire   at  the 
village  of  Nagadan  near  Lake  Dalai-Nor,  the  main  line  reaches  the  town  of 
Khailar   (pop.  3,000).    Further  on,    it  runs  a  distance  of  300  versts   along  an 
elevated  plateau  and  ascends  to  the.  Great  Khingan  ridge  and  then  descends 
again   to   the   valley  of  the  river  W'lnni,    crossing  it  within  15  versts  to  the 
south  of  the  town  of  Tsitsikar  (pop.  70,000).  \Vithin  30  versts  of  the  town   of  ^ 
Ivhulinchen  (pop.  70,000),  the  line  crosses  the  river  Sungari  near  the  settlement 
of  Kharbi'n,   which    is   the    headquarters    of   the    central  deiiartment  for  thej 
construction  of  the  East-Chinese  railway,  and  proceeds  towards  the  town  of 
.V/.hekhe    (pop.   40,000).     .\t    tlie   340   verst,    south-east    of  the  Sungari,    after" 
iuiving  crossed  the  river  Mudan-tsian,  the  line  enters  a  mountainous  country 
and  follows  it  to  the  frontier  of  the  I'ssuri  region. 

On  the  west,   the  East  Chinese  and  the  Russian   railways  are  connected^ 
by    the    branch    nf  the  Transl)aikal  line,   serving   as    link    l)etween  the  East 
Chinese  Railwav   and  the  Siberian  lino,  the  station  l\aid;ilovo  I)eing  the  point 


MANCHUKIA  AN1>  TMK  KAST  rillXKSK  RAILWAY. 


49.) 


(if  .jnnctioii.  111!  the  ctisl.  the  Hast  Chiiit'sc  railway  Joins  ilu"  Xikulsk  lirMiicJi 
(if  thi'  I'ssuri  liiii'. 


'i'iir  SoLiili-Manrluii-ian  la-aiicji,  loaviiii;  tiic  main  ti-ack  altor  rrossinfi  llio 
Simiraii  at  the  settlenu-nt  of  Kharbin.  runs  to  the  south  through  the  towns 
of  I\uan-ch(Mi-tsy.    r'han-tu-fn.    Mnkdi'n    (|io)).  211.(100).    In-kini    (po|i.  TO.OfK))   to 


490 


GUIDE  TO  THK  UUHAT  SIBERIAN  KAILWAY. 


Port  Ai-(liiir   (|Mip   20,000)    coiincctL'd  by  a  short    hraiich  line  llii  v.i  willi   I  la- 
lian-v:'m,  \\hicli   lias  I'oi-eivoil  tho  name  of  Mfiliii. 


street  in  Khailar. 

Followiiii;-  this  (lirrction,    the    main  lint'  and  tho  soutlioni  biMnch  of  \hf 
East-Chino.se  railway  run  throuLih  thi'  whoh;  of    Manchuria  from  tho  Trans- 


Temple  in  Khail^r. 


haikal  liniiiiilar.N    lo  ihi'  I'sstiri    ro^noii    anil    soiithwanis    lo    iho   cxti'oinit)'  of 
tho  [,iao-(luii   Peninsula,  passing-  on  the  way  througli  most  po])ulous  localities 


MAN'CUL'RIA  AXli  THK  KA.ST  CHINKSK  liAlI.WAY. 


4'.); 


siiitiihle  fur  a.irriculture.  The  leiiirth  of  tlio  main  line  is  i«siinintt'i|  at  l,-»40 
vorsts.  the  South-.Manchiirian  lino  —  itso  versts  and  tho  total  ion.irtii  of  the 
whole  East-Chini'S(>  i-aihvay —  2.420  versts. 

The  materials  ret|uii-ecl  for  the  main  line  upon  reachin.u;  Vlailiv()st<)k  are 
forwarded  by  the  I'ssiiri  railway  to  the  station  of  KhabaiMivsk  whence,  by 
means  of  steamers  belonirln;;  to  the  Company  (whieh  has  oriranised  naviira- 
ijon  on  the  river  for  want  of  any  other  convenient  means  of  cnmmiinication 
in  .Manchiiriai  the\  are  taken  up  theSungari  to  Kharbin  for  further  distribu- 


tion along  the  line.  The  materials  wliicii  areilestined  lor  the  ."-^outh-.Manehurian 
line  are  transported  to  Port  Arthur  in  sea-going  steamers.  Pari  of  the  railway 
material  is  carried  by  shallow-draught  vessels  to  Port  In-k<>u.  whence  it  is 
forwarded  by  a  temporary  l>ranch  line  to  its  further  destination. 

For  purposes  of  administration,  the  Kast-Chlnese  Railway  is  divided  into 
three:  the  Rastern.  Western  and  ."^oiiihern  divisions,  comprising  22  sections. 

The  managers  of  these  divisions  are:  En,i;ineer  Sviagin,  of  the  Eastern. 
Engineer  Bocharov,  of  the  western  and  Engineer  Hirschmann  of  the  southei-ii 
division,  under  the  immediate  control  of  the  head  engineer.  The  central 
department  for  the  construction  of  the  line,  including  the  chancery,  the 
book-keeping,  technical  and  machinei'y  departments,  is  situated  in  Kharbm. 
Tlie  department  \'i<y  steamship  navigation  on  the  rivers  has  its  headtiuarters 
in  Vladivostok. 

Besides  the  above  mentioned  persons,  upwards  of  1.50  railway  and  tech- 
nical enirineers  are  employed  on  the  construction  of  the  East  Chinese  railway. 

With  a  view  to  preserve  the  health  of  all  those  who  are  employed  on 
the  works  throu!;:hout  the  line,  a  medical  inspection,  consistinir  of  24  physi- 
cians and  7.5  assistant    surgeons,   has    I n    oriranised  and    entrusted  to  the 

direction  of  the  head  doctor  Poletika 

.Vot  only  the  liiiclier  emidoyees,  iiut  also  the  lower  ai^ents.  surveyors, 
blacksmiths  and  locksmiths  and  other   artisans   come    from    Russia   and   are 


4!)S 


GUIDE  TO  THIO  GREAT  SIliEKlAN  RAILWAY. 


carrii'il  In  tlicii-  imi'iiiI  dI'  dcstiiiMlidn  l).v  llir  stcaiiiiTs  u\  tlu^  X'lilunti'or  Fleet, 
taking  regulai'ly  every  voyage  an  average  ot'  40  agents  of  the  company. 

Tlu'  (Htntingent  of  coinnion  workmen  consi.sts  mainly  oT  Chinese.  By  this 
linio,  about  liKi.iiiKi  Chinese  workmen  are  omployrd  on  thi'  ronstruetion  of 
till'  lino. 

With  a  view  to  snp]ily  the  employees  with  provisions  and  articles  indis- 
pensable to  Europeans,  the  Company  established  in  Kharbin  special  stores 
for  this  pui'jiose. 

Taking  into  consideration  the  great  importance  which  the  commercial 
port  Dalni  will  acipiire  for  the  East-Chinese  railwa.x  as  its  terminus,  the 
company  is  also  entrusted  with  the  <^onstruction  and  exploitation  of  this  post. 

Foreseeing  that  after  the  construction  of  the  commercial  port  Dalni,  an 
industrial  po]:iulation  consisting  of  different  nations  will  be  attracted  to  it 
and  give  it  (he  ciiaiMcter  of  a  town,  ami  with  a  view  to  preserve  the  unity 
oi  the  technical  ailministration  ri'U'ardinn'  the  cinistruction    of    both  port  and 


Tht'  Tsian-Tsiun  of  Tsitsikar  and  his  staff. 


town,  the  Company  was  also  ontrustrd  with  the  organisation  of  the  town  in 
I'alni  under  the  chief  direction  of  the  Minister  of  Finance. 

The  chief  constructiu'  of  the  port  and  town  is  railway  t'ligineor  Sakharov 
who.  accompanied  by  his  assistants,  is  already  at  his  post. 

In  order  to  secui'e  the  regular  transport  of  freights,  materials  and  work- 
iiu'ii  rei|uii-rd  fii'  the  construction  of  the  East-Chinese  Railway,  and  to 
establish  in  the  future  a  regidar  and  ipiick  transport  for  passengers  and 
goods  carried  from  Russia  and  Western  Europe  to  the  Far  East  and  back, 
the  Company  of  the  East-Chinese  Railway  ■ibtained  the  right  to  establish  a 
special  ocean  steamship  navigation  in  the  Far  East.  The  increase  of  the 
quantity  of  goods  conveyed  by  tin'  railwa.\  being  in  aecortlance  with  the 
inter(>sts  id'  the  Ocean  S.  S.  Company,  the  latter  will  as  soon  as  its  fleet  is 
sulTiciently  developed,  contribute  also  to  ihe  export  of  Russian  goods  from  the 
Littoral  territory  to  China. -lapan  and   Koi-ea.  Captain   .\.   X.   Bostelnian.  i-esid- 


MANCHURIA  AND  THK  KaST  CHIXKSE  RAILWAY. 


499 


in;;  in  Port  Arthur,    is  director  of  the  Ocean   Steamship   Xaviiration  Co.:   its 
fioani  is  also  Icicaloil   Ihcrc. 


Sireet  in  the  Town  of  Ningut. 

In  1S09,    voyages   were  accomplished   by  C  steamers   belonging   to   tlic 
riim|iany,  a  freiicht  steamers.  2  goods  and  passenirer  and  1  i)a.s.senger  steaiui-r. 


Temple  in  San-cha-k6u. 

The  Company  arranges  hmding-stages   and    stores   at   the    phices  visited  by 
the  steamers.  Hy   tiiis   time,    it    owns   wharves   at    Viadivosiiilv.    i'ort-.Vrthiir. 


500 


Gt'IDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


I'iiliii.  ('Iiilu.  Iiikiiii,  and  ill  the  near  fulurc  cunteiniil.-Ues  to  have  thcni  at 
PossiiH,  Kiistri,  Pcti'opavlovsk  and  Shanj^hai;  tioal-slorcs  exist  at  Pert  Artiu'ir, 
Ch it'll  and  Nagasaki.  Ageneie.s  have  been  opened  at  Vladivostok,  Xikolaevsk 
(on  tlie  Amur),  Due  (in  Sakhalin).  Nagasaki,  Chit'ii,  ^Niuchwan,  Shanghai  and 
Ciiemulpo;  very  soon  theh'  number  will  be  increased  by  the  opening  of  fresh 
agencies  in  Petropavlovsk,  Possiet,  Tiantsin,  Hongkong.  Futsan  and  Khakodate. 
The  agents  in  nearly  all  the  ports  are  Russians. 

In  19(X),  the  commercial  fleet  belonging  to  the  Company  will  be  enlarged 
by  the  addition  of  two  steamers  (200  feet  in  length)  constructed  in  Shanghai 
and  destined  to  cruise  on  the  Sea  of  Okhotsk;  high  speed  steamers  built  in 
England  and  Germany  for  cruises  from  Port  .\rthur  and  Dalni  on  the  waters 
of  the  Pacific  Ocean  are  to  be  completed  by  the  same  time. 

Upon  the  conpletion  of  the  East-Chinese  Railway ,  with  its  branches  to  the 
Transbaikal  and  Ussuri  lines,  and  the  continuation  of  the  South  Manchurian 
Railway  to  Port  Arthur  and  the  town  of  E>alni.  the  Imperial  Vlll  proclaimed 
by  the  rescript  of  the  17  March,  1891,  commanding  the  construction  of  a 
continuous  railway-  line  through  Siberia  to  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
will  be  so  far  fulfilled. 


B  1  B  L I  0  G  R  A  P  H  Y. 


Description  of  Mancliuria,  publ.  by  the  Minist.  of  Fin.  St.  Petersbnrg:  1S% — 189ti.  by 
Pozdneev.  Manclinria  and  the  East-(.']iinese  Railway  liy  Digamina.  Siberian  trade  and  industry 
ealiMidar.s.  iiubl.  by  Romanov.  Tomslc,  1897 — 189t(.  Liao-di'in  and  its  ports:  Port-Arthur  and 
Da-liau-van,  by  V.  Kotvich  aud  Borodovsky.  St,  Pbg.  1898.  Historical  sketch  of  the  develop- 
uieut  of  railways  in  Russia,  publ.  by  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  Commuuication.  St.  Pbg:.  1899. 


p|PP?gp|f»!l|||Sgp,,j .J,,,  _ 


I 


J. 


APPENDIX   OF 

FARES   A>«  miE  TAIJLES. 


The  information    as    to  railway    conununications    in    tiiis    Appendix  is   taken 
from  tlie  Ufncial    (iuiiicliooic  for  railway,  steamer  ami  othei-  passenger  com- 
munications iniliJisluHl  ii\-  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  Communication,  prcscrvinir 
the  NX  cif  the  routes  therein  contained. 

FARES 

between   St.-Petersburg,  Moscow,  Warsaw  and  the   chj'ef  stations  of  the 

Siberian  Railway. 


STATIONS. 


& 

~~' 

■* 

Fast  train. 


I  cl. 


Passenger  train. 


I  cl.      n  cl.     Ill  el. 


0   lb.s. 

lug?-  I 


S  -= 


o 


Moscow    .   . 

Sani&ra    .    . 

L'fi  .... 

Cheliabinsk   . 

Kurgan     .    . 

^-  Petropavlovsk 
'^  Omsk  .  .  . 
^  Ob  .  .  .  . 
Z.  '  Taiga  .  .  . 
7Z  I  Mariinsk  .  . 
_  Achinsk  .  . 
;;  '  Krasnoyarsk 
~     Kansk  .    .    . 

Nizhue&dinsk 

Tnlun   .    .    . 

Irknt-sk      .    . 


604 
1728 
2219 
2669 
2910 
3159 
3415 
4001 
421H 
4354 
4543 
4712 
4939 
5246 
5355 
5718 


r.  k. 

19  50 
38  40 
44  60 
'50  00 
52  50 
55  50 
59  00 
65  70 
6S  60 
69  90 


71 

30 

74 

60 

77 

10 

80 

70 

82 

90 

S6 

60 

r.  k 

11  70 
23  05 
26  75 

30  00 

31  50 
33  m 
35  40 
39  40 
41  15 

41  95 

42  80 
44  75 
46  25 

48  40 

49  15 
51  95 


r. 

k. 

15 

00 

29 

50 

34 

50 

39  00 

41 

00 

43 

50 

46 

50 

52 

00 

54 

50 

55 

50 

56  50 

59 

50 

61 

50 

64 

50 

65 

90 

09 

50 

r.  k. 

9  00 
17  70 
20  70 

23  40 

24  60 

26  10 

27  90 

31  20 

32  70 

33  30 
33  90 

35  70 

36  90 

38  70 

39  30 
41  70 

I 


r. 

k. 

li 

00 

11 

80 

13  80 

16 

60 

16 

40 

17 

40 

18  60 

20  80 

21 

80 

22 

20 

22  60 

23 

(iO 

24  50 

25  80 

26 

20 

27 

80 

77}^ 
i'2'.i 


1053^ 

8 

111-:;, 

9 

119!j 

10 

128Ji 

10 

14434 

12 

152;.^ 

12 

15514 

1;! 

1.^8;^' 

13 

167}., 

13 

173'^ 

14 

182'^ 

15 

185K 

15 

197'i 

16 

502 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


STATU  IXS. 


'as(  tr 


I  cl.   I  II  d. 


Passi'iicvr  tniiii. 


I  el.   !  n  cl.   1  m  cl. 


10  llw 


O 

o 
o 


1^ 

o 


Sam  lira     .    . 

Ulii 

Clicliriliin.sk   . 
Kurgi'iii 
Pctropavlovsk 
Omsk        .    . 
Ob    .        . 
Taiga    .    .    . 
Mariiiisk  . 
Achinsk    .    . 
Krasnoyarsk 
Kan.sk  .    .    . 


Xizhnei'idiiisk 
Tnli'in  .  .  . 
Irkutsk     .    . 


1118 
160!) 
2059 
2300 
2349 
2805 
3391 
3006 
3744 
3933 
4192 
4329 
4036 
4746 
5108 


r. 

k. 

26 

90 

33 

GO 

39 

— 

42 

— 

43 

— 

.48 

— 

55 

20 

57 

60 

58 

40  1 

61 

80 

63 

fiO 

66 

60 

70 

20 

71 

40 

75 

60 

r.  k. 

16  15 
20  16 
23  40 
25  20 
25  70 
28  80 

33  10 

34  55 

35  65 

37  10 

38  11 

39  95 
12  10 
42  85 
45  36 


r.  K. 

22  60 
28  00 
32  60 

35  00 

36  50 
40  00 
46  00 

48  00 

49  50 
51  60 
53  00 
65  50 

58  50 

59  50 
63  00 


r.  k. 

13  50 
16  80 
19  50 
21  00 
2!  30 
24  00 

27  60 

28  SO 

29  70 

30  90 

31  80 
33  30 

35  10  I 

36  70  I 

37  80 


9  00 
11  20 

13  00 

14  00 
14  20 
16  00 

18  40 

19  20' 
19  80 

I  20  60 

21  20 

22  20 

23  40 
'23  80 
125  20 


56 '4 
72^ 

93% 


126?i 
1323^ 


147% 
1551:; 

lU7'/i 
177% 


< 


o 


r. 

k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

r.L-. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

Moscow 

1239 

30 

20 

22  13 

24  00 

14  40 

9  60 

60% 

Samara     . 

2357 

36 

10 

27  67 

35  50 

21  30 

14  20 

WA 

Ofa  .... 

384S 

42 

30 

31  37 

40  50 

24  30 

16  20 

HOM 

Cheliabinsk  . 

3298 

47 

70 

34  62 

45  00 

27  00 

18  00 

123% 

Kiirgiin     .    . 

3539 

50 

70 

86  62 

47  60 

88  50 

19  00 

131'^ 

Petropavlovsk 

3788 

63 

70 

88  22 

60  00 

30  00 

20  00 

138% 

Omsk    .    .    . 

4044 

66 

70 

40  02 

52  50 

31  50 

21  00 

146"^ 

Ob     ...    . 

4630 

73 

90 

44  32 

58  50 

35  10 

23  40 

164'^ 

Taiga    .    .    . 

4845 

76 

30 

46  77 

60  50 

36  30 

24  20 

\10% 

Mariinsk   . 

4983 

78 

10 

47  12 

62  00 

37  20 

24  80 

175% 

Achinsk    .    . 

5172 

80 

50 

48  32 

64  00 

38  40 

25  60 

180% 

Krasnoyarsk 

5341 

82 

30 

49  37 

65  50 

39  30 

26  20 

imA 

Kansk  .    .    . 

5568 

86 

30 

51  17 

68  00 

40  80 

27  20 

192% 

Nizliiiofldinsk 

5875 

87 

90 

52  72 

70  00 

42  00 

28  00 

198% 

Tnlun    .    .    . 

5984 

90 

10 

54  07 

72  00 

43  20 

28  80 

204% 

Irkfitsk     .    . 

6347 

94 

30 

57  57 

75  50 

45  20 

30  28 

215^ 

FARES  AND  TIMK  TABLKS. 


503 


FARES 


between   Cheliabinsk  and  the  chief  stations  of  the  Siberian  Railway. 


.STATIONS. 

5J* 

Fast  train. 

I'assenecr  train. 

1(1   lbs. 

es 

'"??• 

1  el.    1  U  cl. 

1  cl.    1  11  cl.     UI  cl. 

r.  k.     r.  k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

(.'heliabinsk 

— 

-         — 

— 

— 

— 

Kuriran   .    .    . 

241 

—        — 

7  58 

4  55 

3  03 

13  S6 

2 

Pctropavlovsk 

•190 

—        — 

13  00 

7  80 

6  20 

27^i 

3 

Omsk  .... 

746 

1 

17  50 

10  50 

7  00 

4Hi 

3 

01, 

1332 

30  00  ]  18  00 

25  00 

15  00 

10  00 

6S% 

5 

Taifa      .    .    . 

1547 

32  00    19  20 

26  r,0 

16  90 

10  r.o 

r.8>.i 

6 

Mariin>k     .    . 

1685 

30  80    20  90 

29  00 

17  49 

11  <;o 

1-0% 

ti 

Achinsk  .    .    . 

1874 

37  20 

22  30 

31  0(1 

18  60 

12  40 

81% 

6 

Krasnoyarsk    . 

2040 

39  70    23  40 

32  50 

19  50 

13  00 

86'< 

7 

Kaiisk     .    .    . 

2267 

42  00 

25  20 

35  00 

21  00 

14  00 

93?^ 

7 

Nizliiipiidiiisk  . 

2574 

45  70 

27  35 

39  00 

22  80 

16  20 

102^ 

S 

Tulun      .    .    . 

2683 

46  80 

28  10 

39  00 

23  40 

15  60 

m% 

8 

Irkutsk   . 

3049 

51  00 

30  60 

42  60 

25  50 

17  00 

116'4 

9 

1 

Xote.  1.  Each  passen.ger  has  the  ri.irht  to  take  oni'  chilii  under  five  years 
of  a.sre  free.  For  other  children  and  children  a.ired  from  .^  to  Ki  years,  a  fare 
is  charged  at  the  rate  of  '  <  of  that  lor  adult  passengei-s. 

II.  Each  passenger  ticket  ^ives  the  ri,ffht  to  the  conveyance  of  one  pud 
of  lusigage  and  each  child's  ticket— 20  lbs.:  for  the  conveyance  of  lu.trira.ire  in 
excess  of  this,  a  charge  is  made  for  every  10  lbs.  according  to  the  luir- 
gage  tariff. 

III.  In  the  fast  train,  all  places  are  numbered  and  the  passengers  must, 
moreover,  take  place-cards  at  the  rate  of  R.  1  50  k.  for  each  line  separately 
and  pay  for  bed-linen  R.  1  a  change,  serving  not  more  than  three  days. 

3lA 


J04 


GtllDK  TO  THE  GREAT  SfBERIAN   RAILWAY 


SuMiiira-Zhitoiist  Bailvvay. 

(Office  in  Saniiira). 

Sy/.iaii-Cheluibinsk jVh  170. 

Samara-I  Irenburg j\»  171. 

Krotovka-Sergievsk K°  17  la. 

170.  Syzran— Cheliabinsk  ami  back. 


Ft  2 

Pr.  6 

Ml.  4 

«' 

_£ 

Pr.  5 

Ft.  1 

Ml.  4 

i-n 

1— in 

i-m 

bamdra-Zlatoast  r.  w. 

I— m 

I-U 

I-III 

2  52 

9  34 

11  47 

Dep.  SyzrSn  hi'.    .... 

Arr. 

7  23 

1     0 

4     5 

3  10 

3  20 

9  55 
10    5 

12  10 

12  28 

— 

Arr 

^[^    Balraki  Syzr.  V.  hf. 

Hop. 
•  Arr. 

1057 

7     0 
6  50 

12  40 
12  25 

3  40 

:s  30 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„     Batr.  S.-Zl 

•      •       r» 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„     I'r-iiv.  \olf;a  (sid.)  .     . 

•      • 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

ID  45 

1     8 

17 

„     Olisjiarovka     .... 

■      ■       »> 

1041 

6  17 

— 

2  57 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„     Sam.  Liika  .s.         .    . 

•      •       » 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

11  17 

1  40 

33 

„     Myliiaya      .... 

1025 

5  41 

— 

2   19 

— 

— 

1  54 

— 

„     Bashkir,  sid 

— 

— 

— 

2     0 

4  55 

11  57 

2  21 

— 

^     Maiti'iea      

— 

5    5 

11  10 

1   34 

— 

12  19 

2  44 

56 

„     Bezeuehiik      .... 

*) 

1002 

4  40 



1     6 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„     Ycrikl  sid 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1    9 

3  34 

80 

„     Tnmylovo 

978 

3  52 

— 

12  18 

„     ZhigaU  (sid.)     .    .    . 

— 

1  49 

2  7 

4  la 

4  3n 

101 
109 

..    Lipiiiiri 

957 
948 

3    4 
2  42 

— 

11  30 

11     8 

..     Kriazli 

6  34 

2  22 

4  511 

116 

.\rr.   Samira  M 

.    .  Dep. 

942 

2  25 

9  20 

10  48 

7  10 

4    0 

6  20 

110 

Hep.  Samara 

.  Arr. 

942 

1  15 

8  44 

8     8 

— 



— 

— 

„     Beziiniaiika         .    .    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

4  40 

7    0 

136 

Siuysliliaevka      .    .    . 

922 

12  41 

— 

7  34 

8  14 
8  29 

5  22 
5  37 

7  42 

8  0 

155 

^"'-  Kln^l  bf.    .    . 
Dep. 

Dep. 
•    •  Arr. 

902 

11  50 
11  35 

7  33 
7  22 

6  45 
6  30 

8  59 

6  13 

8  34 

169 

„     Tiirs-iMievka     .... 

889 

11  13 

7     3 

6     8 



6  37 

— 

— 

„     Rah.  Sarliai    .... 

_ 

— 

6  36 

— 

9  30 

G  56 

9  10 

190 

All'.  Krbfovka   ... 

.  Dep. 

8(i7 

10  25 

6  19 

5  17 

9  33 

7    6 

9  20 

190 

Ilc'p.  Kritovka   .    . 

.  Arr. 

867 

10  12 

6  17 

5    2 

7  34 

9  48 

204 

„     Miikhanovo      .... 

853 

9  50 

— 

4  40 

10  12 

7  59 

10  13 

'i,    '  Clicrkasskava     .    .    . 
liep. 

Dep. 

9  20 

5  36 

4  10 

10  27 

8  10 

10  25 

220 

•  Arr. 

837 

9    5 

5  24 

3  54 



— 



— 

„     Tuiiiriiz  (sid.)     .    .    . 

— 

— 

5    8 

— 

— 

8  59 

11  15 

244 

„     Kliuch'i 

814 

8  26 



3  15 

„     Avi-rkino  (.sid.)  .    .    . 

11  36 
11  50 

9  42 
10     0 

11  58 

12  23 

266 

j"'-  Pdkhvistnevo  bf.  .    . 

Hep. 

Dep. 
•  Arr. 

791 

7  37 
7  22 

4  15 
3  57 

2  27 
2    2 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„     Savn'iklia  (sid.)      .    . 

-    •     - 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12  18 

10  32 

12  55 

285 

5;;j;  Buguruslin    .... 

Dep. 

773 

6  50 

3  20 

1  30 

12  21 

10  42 

1  20 

•  Arr. 

6  35 

3  28 

'" 

*)  The  t'a.st  trains  2  and  1  are  without  chansin.c;  for  conim.  Moscuw- 
Irkiitsk.  These  trains  leave:  .Moscow  uN?  17)  on  .Sat.  (As  2)  Batraki  on  .\iond. 
(jVj  1)  Irkutsk  on  Krid.,  Cheliiibinsk  on  Tliurs. 

*■■•)  Without  chan.ijini;:  Moscow— Irkutsk  I—II  cl.  ti'ains  2  and  1.  .Moscow- 
Tula— Cheliabinsk  I— III  cl.  trains  4  and  '-V 


.\ight  time  from  6.0  1'.  .M.  to  5.59  .\.  M.  indicated  by  heavy  type. 


PARKS  AND  TIME  TABLES. 


505 


Ft.  2 

I-n 

Pr.  6 

I-n 

Ml.  4 
1-111 

Samara- ZUUoasl  r.  ic. 

y. 

_» 

rt.  1 
i-in; 

I'r  .-.. 
I-II 

.Ml.  3 

i-m 

_ 

_ 

_ 

Dep.  Zavialovo  (sid.)     .    .    . 

.  Arr. 

— 

U   24 

2    4 

.S<iG 

„     Zacliiidino  ..... 

751 





12  35 

1  19 

11  oO 

2  35 

316 

„     Asokeovo    

•    .. 

742 

5  43 

2  43 

12  14 

— 

— 

- 

— 

.     Kisia  (sid.) 

. 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12  42 

3  30 

■  Voj 

„     Filippov.ka 

723 

5     1 

— 

11  32 

— 

— 

— 

— 

■     .Mochceai    ..... 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1   24 

4  14 

353 

„     Sarai-lu'r 

705 

4  21 

— 

10  52 

— 

— 

4  85 

— 

■     ^aki'ipovo  (sid.)      .    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

2  50 

3  21 

1  57 

2  27 

4  49 

5  15 

374 

',,      AbdiJIino 

ili'p. 

Dep. 
•Arr. 

684 

.3  31 
3     1 

1    1 
12  41 

10    0 
9  30 

— 

2  40 

— 

— 

^     Ik  (.sid.) 

— 

2  45 

— 

— 

— 

3  10 

5  58 

392 

„     Taldy  Bulak 

» 

G65 

2  25 

— 

8  59 

— 

— 

— 

„     Turievo  (sid.)    .... 

— 

— 

— 

— 

4  31 

3  51 

t)  40 

408 

,     Privutovo 

649 

1  48 

^ 

8  25 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„     Riabash  (sid.)    .... 

-         », 

— 

— 

— 

— 

b     5 
5     8 

4  29 
4  35 

7  18 
7  30 

427 

1,^  ■  Boleb.  Aksakovo    .    .    . 

Dep. 
*  Arr. 

630 

1     8 
1     0 

11  20 
11  10 

7  47 
7  37 

— 

— 

— 

— 

,     .Maksii'itovo 

— 

— 

— . 

— 

5  44 

5  13 

8     8 

444 

„     Glukhovskaya.        .    .    . 

- 

613 

12  30 

— 

7    7 

— 

— 

— 

„     Ciaina 

. 

— 

— 

— 

— 

6  19 

5  5-2 

6  4 

8  52 

464 

Aksinnovo 

593 

11  46 

10  10 

6  23 
6    3 

„     Aldarovo  (sid.)  .... 

. 

6  47 

6  26 

9  28 

479 

„     Shafraiiovo 

578 

11     0 

— 

5  38 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„     Slak  (sid.) 

.  , 

— 

— 

— 

— 

7  16 
7  30 

6  59 

7  52 

10      1 
10  21 

499 

Dop   "^""^  ''f   •      •    •  '•    • 

Dep. 
•Arr. 

558 

10  10 
9  50 

8  50 
8  82 

4  48 
4  2(i 

8  18 

— 

— 

„     Tiuliiin  (sid.) 

.    ^ 

— 

— 

8  17 

— 

8    3 

8  36 

10  59 

517 

_     Davlokanovo   ..... 

540 

9  15 

8    2 

3  51 

,     Kazaneul 

8  36 
8  46 

9  10 
9  20 

11  33 
11  43 

539 

J^J  Shingak  Kul 

Udriak 

Dep. 
•Arr. 

518 

8  30 
8  21 

= 

3     4 
2  54 

9  34 

10  10 

12  35 

563 

..     Chishmy 

.    . 

494 

7  40 

6  53 

2  13 

— 

— 

— 

— 

_    Alkino    ...... 

.    ^ 

— 



— 

— 

10  53 

1   IG 

1  37 

5c6 

.,     Ydinatovo       

r> 

472 

6  49 



1   24 

,     Dioma  (sid.) 

10  40 

11  10 

11  31 

12  1 

1  55 

2  30 

607 

f '"''   Uf4  bf 

Dep. 
•Arr. 

450 

6     0 
5  20 

5  36 
5  16 

12  35 
12     0 

Dep.  "'*  "' 

— 



_ 

— 

,     Chernikovka  (sid.)     .    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12  15 

1     9 

3  3s 

i;23 

^     I'rakovo 

430 

4  24 

— 

11     4 

— 

1  38 

4     7 

640 

..     lerlino 

417 

3  53 

4    4 

10  3G 

— 

— 

— 



.     Chuvash!  (sid.)  .... 

, 

— 

— 

— 

— 



2  20 

4  49 

a^f^ 

Tartiniaiiovo 

399 

3  10 



9  57 



2  44 

„     Kudecvka  (sid.).     .    .    . 

2  43 



1  50 

3  10 

5  37 

G83 

nCi  Tcliak 

■     - 

374 

2    4 

2  37 

9     4 

_ 

„     Kazavak  (sid.)   ... 

2  24 
2  30 

3  50 
3  58 

6  17 
6  26 

704 

p    •  Asha  Balashovskaya  bf. 

Dep. 
•  Arr. 

353 

1  11 

1    5 

1  53 
1  43 

8  20 
8  10 

— 





,     Greinfiehi  Kliuch  (sid.)  . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

3  36 

4  37 

5  10 

7    8 
7  41 

723 
736 

Miniar         .... 

.334 
321 

12  29 
11  SB 

12  47 

7  34 
7    3 

„     Siraskaya    

— 

— 

— 

— 

,     Ycral  (sid.) 

, 

— 

— 

— 

— 

4  38 

G  26 

8  52 

7.i8 

^     Kropachovo 

. 

299 

11  10 

12     0 

6  15 

__ 





„     Yakhino  'iDO  ver.      .    . 

— 

— 

— 

5  15 

7     4 

9  30 

77 

^     I'st  Katav  .... 

234 

10  17 

— 

5  13 

5  46 

6  1 

7  40 
7  55 

9  50 
10    8 
10  23 

Tl'l 

266 

9  52 
9  25 
9    7 

10  38 
10  23 

1 

4  28 
4    7 

1 

jj"^"  Viazovaya  bf.    .... 

Dep. 
•  Arr. 

For  trains  ?&.V  1  and  2, 
Night  time  from 


tickets  of  rt'diiced  tariff  are  not  avai 
6.0  P.  M.    t.i     5.59  A.  M.  in  indicated 


lable. 

by  heavy  type. 


500 


Gl'IDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Ff.  2 

I— n 


8  21 


9  60 
10  1 
10  21 


12  35 


2     6 


3  30 


Pr. 


10  50 


11 

12 

1 

2 
2 

3 
3 
3 

4 
4 
5 

6 

7 
8 

9 

9 
9 


Samdra-ZlatoAst  i:  iv. 


813 

837! 

859; 

8781 

—  i 
9071 

925 
947 
967 
990 
1009 
1033 
1057 


Dep.  Tiubialifc  (sid.)    ....  Arr. 

„     Mursiilimkino „ 

„     Ki'ikshik  (sicl.l „ 

„     Sulejii „ 

„     Yedinover  (sid.)     ....    „ 

„     Berdiaflsh „ 

.,     Salffau  (sid.) „ 

„     Tuudiish , 

„     Kusinskava  platt ,. 

„     Ai  (sid.)" „ 

Zavodskaya  pi „ 

is.  ^•«»''-'  "^ S- 

„  Tagaivai  (sid. ) „ 

„  rrzliumka , 

Klireliiot „ 

,,  Syrostan „ 

„  Turg-oyak  s „ 

„  Miass  bf. „ 

„  Kiseg-ach „ 

„  Chebarki'il „ 

„  Shakbraatovo „ 

„  Bisbkil , 

„  Birgil.  (sid.) „ 

„  Poietai'vo  ., 

„  Smtdino  (sid.) „ 

Arr.  ChellSbinsk  bf .Dep. 


245 
221 
199 
179 

151 

132 

111 
90 
68 
48 
24 


Ft.  1 

1-m 


I'r.  5 

1— no 


8  19 

7  14 
6  20 

5  23 

4  56 

4  25 

4  10 

3  41 

3  3 

2  25 

1  46 

12  50 

11  47 

10  59 

9  53 
9  24 

8  50 


9  20 

8  12 
7   14 


6  22 
6  10 
5  54 


4  54 
3  39 

1  58 

12  15 


Ml.  :! 
I-llI 


3  19 

2  22 

1  27 

12  25 
11  49 

11  15 
11  0 
10  31 

6  53 
8  45 

7  45 
6  40 

5  46 

4  4(. 

3  V- 


5     0 

9  15 

9  25 

2  31 

7  15 

5     0 

12 
7 
5 


746 
3049 


Dep.    Chelidbinsk]  .    .  Arr.    3049 
„     Omsk      .    .    172     „      2303 
Arr.     Irkutsk         )  .      Dep.     — 


5  12 

11  33 
1  20 


11    0 

6  37 

9  45 


1  0 
7  28 
4    0 


231 

698 


Dep.  Chellabinsk.   |  .    .  Arr. 

„     Yekater.  /    .     175     „ 
Arr.  Perm   ...)..  Dep. 


698 
467 


2  44 
5  26 

I  l(i 


Night  time  from  6.0  I'.  .M.  t..  5.59  A.  M,  is  indicatt-d  by  henvy  type. 


Steam  navisjatioii  on  the  rivers  Volga,  Kama  and  Belaya. 

Steamers  leave  Samara  daily  up  and  down  the  \ol,'i;i.  They  bclnns  Id 
the  follDwina;  ccimpanies:  1)  „The  Volga  S.  S.  Company  I'mindi'd  in  1S43". 
2)  ^The  V61,ii;a  Tradina:  and  Passenger  S.  S.  Company",  3)  „The  Xadezhda". 
4)  „The  Caucasu.s  and  Mercury"  and  5)  „The  Sanioliitt'". 

(Information  on  sailing.s  and  tares  is  contained  in  the  Official  Guide  of 
the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  Conmumication.  A^As  3(35-368). 

Between  Ufa  and  .Xizhui  Xovgorod,  on  the  rivers  Ht'daya,  Kama  and 
Volga,  ply  the  steamers  holonging  to  „Yaki'mov  and  Sons"  and  „Burly('h6v". 

(Sailings  from  L'lVi  four  times  a  week). 

(Information  on  sailings  and  fares  is  to  be  found  in  the  Ufl'icial  Guide 
of  the  Ministry  of  Ways  of  "Communication,  AS  .363). 


FARES  AND  T[ME  TABLES. 


507 


1*  e  r  111   R  Ji  i  I  \\  a  y. 

(Oftico  in  I'eriiil. 


rci'iii-X'iatkii-Kotlas  .    .    .    . 
I'(Miii-(^hcliahinsk      .    .    .    . 
Yekatei-iiibi'irg-Tiumen     .    . 
Chusdvaya-Borozniki    .    . 
Alcxaiiili'ovskaya-Luiiicvka 
Rogdaiii'ivich-Osti-ovskava  . 


175.  Yekaterinburg-Cheliabinsk 


A^  1 


iml 


4a. 
175. 

I7t;. 

177. 
17.S. 
I7i». 

hack. 


Mi\.>(l 
U-IV 

Mail  4 
l-Ill 

r. 

['(■nil  railiniij. 

>• 

\|;hI  :; 
1-111 

2t) 

U-IV 

12  37 

5  26 

4G7 

lli'|i.  Yekaterinburg  M.   .    .    . 

.    .    .       Arr. 

231 

8    8 

I  10 

12  58 

5  37 

471 

_     Yckaterinbdrg  11     ... 

227 

7  59 

1   1 

1  23 

5  57 

477 

,     Dktus 

.    .    .    ■      „ 

221 

7  42 

12  36 

2  46 

7   14 

507 

Mramoniava              ... 

191 

6  38 

11  23 

3  50 

4  58 

5  13 

,s  1.5 
9  23 
i)  37 

536 
565 

,     P 

Arr. 

U 
Dep. 

nidnicvnava 

162 
133 

5  50 
4  18 
4     4 

9  54 
8  36 
8  16 

falii  l.f. 

Di'p. 
■    ■    ■  Arr. 

G  lit 
7     8 
7  29 

10  40 

11  27 
11   3S 

592 

613 

.    M 

Arr. 
K 

afik        

106 

84 

3     1 
2     U 
1  56 

7  13 
6  14 
6    2 

Dep. 

Arr. 

8  42 

12  54 

646 

„     Argava-sli         .... 

• 

52 

12  49 

4  55 

9  29 

1  53 

675 

^     Yi'.sai'ilskaya     .        ... 

r> 

24 

11  43 

3  54 

10  40 

2  44 

698 

Arr.  CheliSbinsk  lif 

....  Dep. 

— 

10  48 

2  55 

12  20 

5     0 



Dep.   Cheliabinsk 

1             Arr. 

3049 

5  12 

1     » 

7  22 

9  25 

746 

„      Omsk     .    . 

172      . 

2303 

U   33 

7  28 

5  40 

7  15 

3049 

„      Irkutsk      .    .    . 

Dep. 

— 

1  20 

4    0 

_ 

3  45 



Di'|i.  Cheliabinsk   .    .  | 

170       *"• 

2060 

9  50 

-- 

10  48 

942       ..      Samara         .    .   ; 

169 

1118 

6  20 

— 

— 

9  30 

1681       .      Rifuhnk  .       .  1 

1 

379 

10  10 

— 

- 

6  43 
2  20 

1877 
2060 

Tula      ....  1 
,     Moscow              .  1 

j       Dep. 

183 

11  25 

2  30 

Xiglit  timi-  fnuu  6.0  1'.  .M.  to  5.59  A.  M.  indicated  by  heavy  type. 


508 


GUIDE   TO  TUK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


176.  Yekaterinburg— Tiumen  and  bac 


2  55 
I  10 


10  48 
8    8 


—      |)(>[i.   Cheliabinsk    . 
231  j   j\rr.    Yekaterinburg 


175 


Arr. 


231 


10  40 
12  37 


2  44 
5  26 


Mixed 

26 

n-IY 


Mail  4 
I— DI 


Perm  railirai/. 


Mixed 
25 

n— IV 


Mail  3 

I— m 


2  56  10    0 

3  8  10  12 

3  46  10  39 

4  43  11  27 

5  47  12  13 


6  40 

7  20 


1    2 
1  38 


4 
15 
33 
53 
75 
94 


Dep    Yekaterinbhrg  I'f Arr.      304 


Yi'katorinhi'irf!:  II 

I.stAk 

Kosfdino  .... 
Bazh^novo  Iif.  . 
(Iri.T/.ni'jvsknya 


Arr.    Bogdanbvich  lif Dep. 


300 
289 
271 
251 
229 
210 


11  19 

11    9 

10  40 

9  44 

8  46 

7  36 


4  20 
4  10 
3  44 
3  0 
2  6 
1     5 


6  42    12  10 


2  20 

3  43 


38 


Dep.  Boi/ilaiiovirh  .  \    „.     Arr. 
Arr.  Osfrorskaija  .  j  Dep. 


38 


11  13 
9  50 


7 

50 

8 

34 

9 

18 

9  48 

10  43 

11 

36 

12 

33 

1 

20 

2 

45 

3 

30 

4 

31 

5 

21 

5 

58 

2  03 

2  42 

3  23 

3  43 

4  31 

5  18 

6  15 
G  35 

7  43 

8  25 

9  06 
9  51 

10  24 


94 

lis 

134 

151 
171 

201 

232 
248 
266 
285 
304 


Dep.  Bogdan6vich  lif. 

„     Pyshminskaya 

Arr.  Dep. 

Kamyshlov  lit 

Dep.  Arr. 

„     Aksarikha „ 

„     Oshcliepkovo „ 

Arr.  Dep. 

Pokl^vskaya  M 

Dep.  Arr. 

„     Yushalil  . „ 

,,     Tiigulym , 

„     Karmak „ 

„     PerevMovo 

Arr.  Tiumen  M Dep. 


210 
191 

170 

153 
133 

103 

72 
56 
38 
19 


6  22 

5  35 

4  39 

4  13 

3  38 

2  49 

1  34] 

1     9 

12     6 

11  24 

10  32 

9  4t! 

8  53 


11  51 

11  9 

10  13 

9  14 

9  12 

8  14 

7  10 

6  54 

5  52 

5  14 

4  29 

3  47 

2  56 


FARES  AND  TIME  TABLKS. 


509 


Siberian   Railw.ay 

U'tfice  ill  Tomsk). 

Cheliabinsk — Irkutsk — Ai;  1 73. 
Taigii— Tomsk — Cheromoshniki— As  173. 
Omsk  (station) — Omsk  (town)— .NL  173a. 

172.  Cheliabinsk     Irkutsk  and  back. 


Without 

:hanging  Moscow  —  Irkutsk  1— II  c 

1.  in 

trains 

2  and 

1. 

12    5 

8  35 

2  f!0 

—     l)t']i.  Moscow  .    .  |,na    . 
1S2     .     Tula     .    .    .(^"^.c. 

.\|T.  20.'')S 

6  43 

7    0 

(i  :;.'i 

12    1.-. 

2  30 

11  35 

„     1870 

2     0 

2  20 

11  20 

9  40 

S  37 

10    10 

..      07<l 

9  30 

7  34 

■1    in 

4    0 

7    10 

6  20 

1117     „     Samara    .    .   !l69   170 

„      !Ml' 

10  48 

9  20 

2  25 

7  15 

3  ao 

9  60 

2058  .\rr.   Ch>l„ihiiisk\ 

Hop.  — 

3  43 

12  15 

8  .50 

— 

I  16,     7  40 

—     Dop.  Perm   .    .       1      ,71; 
093  Arr.    Chclidhlnsl;       '" 

.\rr.l  098 

3  SO 



12  13 

2  44    10  40 

n,.,,. '  - 

2  55 

— 

10  48 

lip.  12 

n-iv 

Fst.  2 

[-n 

.Mail  4 

i-m 

Siberian  railaan. 

1    ^ 

.Mail  3 

I-m 

Fst.  1 

i-n 

Gp.  II 

n-iv 

9  15 

5    0 

12  20 

Dop.  Cheliabinsk  br.    ... 

.Arr. 

3049 

1   0 

11   0 

5  12 

9  39 

— 

12  43 

— 

.,     SIdine: 

— . 

12  41 

4  44 

10  17 

— 

1     5 

— 

_    Sidinsr 

— 

12  18 

— . 

4    6 

11  18 

6  27 

1   58 

41 

_     ChorniavskaTa    .... 

300S 

11  37 

9  29 

3  14 

12  10 

— 

2  31 

— 

„     Siding 

— 

10  45 

— 

2  17 

1  13 

7  52 

3  2.5 

83 

,     Chiimliak  hf. 

2966 

9  58 

7  58 

1  21 

2    9 

— 

4     4 

— 

,     Siding- 

— 

9     3 

— 

12  22 

2  46 

3  36 

8  56 

9  11 

4  -io 
4  5.j 

117 

1^,";  Shum'il(ha  I.f.  .    .    .    .' 

Dop. 
■Arr. 

2932 

8  28 
8  13 

6  39 
6  20 

11  38 
10  38 

4  31 



a  41 

— 

,     Sidinir 

— 

7  33 

— 

9  51 

5  38 

i;  2.'i 

10  29 

6  27 
6  50 

l.W 

.     Mislikino   l)f. 

2893 

6  53 

6  18 

5     2 

9    4 
8  27 

„     Sidinir 

7    IS 

11  37 

7  45 

iss 

,     Yurpainv.sli 

2S01 

5  35 

3  43 

7  36 

S  lb 
8  50 

12  16 

8  32 
8  56 

200 

,     Zvrianka 

2843 

4  51 
4  17 

2  59 

6  38 

6  58 

,     Siding 

9  20 

9  52 

11  27 

1  21 
1  41 

9    2 

9  47 

10  42 

241 

_     Siding 

2808 

3  49 
3  20 
2  56 

1  29 

12  57 

5   14 
4  30 

3    8 

i'p.  ""^s^"  '^f- 

Dop 
•App. 

12  22 

— 

11  20 

— 

.     Sidinir 

— 

2  21 

— 

2  24 

1  24 

3    9 

12    9 

276 

.     Var?as]ii 

2765 

1  41 

11  41 

1   37 

2  20 

12  55 

- 

„     Sidinir 

— 

12  53 

— 

12  33 

3  26 

4  40 

1  49 

318 

,     Loliiazhia 

2731 

11  59 

10  11 

11  31 

4    3 

— 

2  17 



.     Sidinir         

11  17 

— 

10  41 

4  41 



2  51 



_     Sidinsr 



10  53 

— 

10  10 

5  21 

6  20 

r,    s 
6  3'J 

3  23 
3  35 

30:: 

^"   MakiJshino  Ijf. 

Dep. 
Arr. 

2680 

10  22 
10    7 

8  33 
8  13 

9  29 
9  14 

7  22 

4  23 

_ 

,     Sidinir 

9  18 

— 

8    In 

8  28 

8  23 

5  16 

4117 

_     Pelukhiivo 

2642 

8  36 

6  47 

5  50 

9  15 



0     2 

— 

_     Siding 



7  48 

4  20 

10  16 

9  55 

6  56 

449 

_     Maniliutka ■ 

200) 

7    4 

5  20 

3  24 

10  58 

— 

7  29 

— 

„     Sidinir 

— 

6  22 

2  34 

11  30 

— 

8     2 



_     Siding 

— 

5  57 

— 

2    4 

12    3 
12  43 

11  18 
11  40 

8  29 
8  54 

490 

^"-  Petropivlovsk  l.f 

Dep. 
App. 

2559 

5  32 
5  12 

3  36 
3  18 

1  29 
12  39 

1  25 

— 

9  27 

— 

.,     Sidinir         

— 

5  40 

12    0 

2  19 

12  .oO 

10  10 

.-)23 

,     Toknshi  

2.J26 

4     8 

2  17 

11  19 

3  26 

— 

„     Siding 

•     " 

1 

3     9 

~ 

10    9 

') 


for  comraunication  Moscow — IrkiitBk. 
Irkutsk 


Fast  passeii$;er  trains   2  and  1  aro  without  <-tinn^in(? 
These  trains  leave:  I*  17  Moscow,    on  Saturdays:  J*  i  Chelltiliinsk   on  Thursdays,  arriving  at 
on  Mondays:  Ji  1  Irkutsk,  on  Fridays;  f*  18  arrives  at  Moscow  on  Saturdays. 
Night  time  from  6.0  P.  M.  to  5.59  A.  M.  indicated  by  heavy  type. 


510 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN    RAILWAY. 


Gp.   12  Fst.  2 

n_iv  I— n 


Miiil   4 

i-ni 


liibenaii  raUwaij. 


Moil  3 

i-m  I 


Rst.  I 
I— 11 


(ip.  1 1 
II -IV 


32 
30 

1 
36 1 
11 

8  l! 

9  7] 

10  lo' 

11  30 

12  35 


21 
35 
31 


3  16 


8  27 

9  37 

10  37 

11  50 

12  54 


4  35 

5  17 

7  52 

8  52 

10  48 

11  48 

12  38 


2  21 

3  52 

4  5 

5  23 

6  46 


8  15 

9  25 


11  4 

12  12 

1  51 

3  38 
3  58 

6  10 

8  3 

9  46 

10  1 

11  29 

12  49 

2  15 

3  33 

3  48 


8  32  - 


9  32 

10  27 

11  22 

12  7i 
12  40 


10 

30 

0 

20 

21 

171 


8  16 


6  17 
6  41 


8  5 

8  21 

8  46 

9  30 

10  20 

11  3 
11  34 


11  56 

12  40 


8  27 

9  6 
9  40 

10  13 

10  53 

12  0 

12  59 


49 

4 

59 

9 

7 

3 
36 

4 
55 

8  15 

9  6 
9  50 

10  28 

11  20 

12  4 
12  47 

1  27 

2  9 
24 

5 
59 
39 
28 

7 
32 
58 

8 
33 


2 
3 
3 
4 
5 
6 
6 
6 
7 
7 

8  23 

9  12 
9  51 

10  40 


567 
590 

617 

657 
700 

74G 

790 

820 

S59 

904 
904 

953 

996 

1049 

1090 
1128 
1166 

1209 

1249 

1285 
1299 

I324I 
1335 

1366 


Dep. 


Dep. 


Arr. 
Dep. 


Air. 
Dep. 


Arr. 
Dep. 


Arr. 
Dep. 


.Arr. 
Dep. 
Arr. 
Dep. 


Meclvezhia     ......  Arr. 

Kara-fiiiga  (sid.)    .    .    .    .    „ 

Siding 

Isfl-Kul  hf l'''l'- 

Arr. 

SiJii'g „ 

Kochuliaevo „ 

Sidiug „ 

Marianovka „ 

Siding        „ 

Omsk  (post)  . 

Omsk  l)f. ?'^P- 

App. 

Siding ^ 

Siding „ 

Korrnilovka „ 

Siding     .......  „ 

Kalacliinskaya     .....  „ 

Siding ., 

Sluidrinskaya 

Siding „ 

Tat^rskaya  hf.     ....  Dep. 

TaWrskaya  iil' Arr. 

Siding ,, 

Karachi „ 

Siding     ....        .    .    .  „ 

Teljisskaya „ 

Siding         „ 

Sidinsr „ 

K^insk  id ^"P- 

Arr. 

Siding „ 

Kozliurla , 

Siding „ 

lldnskaya „ 

Siding 

Karg  t    . „ 

Siding , 

Chulym  l.f. ^rn 

Siding         , 

Dnplionskaya „ 

Siding „ 

Koelienovo „ 

Cliik  (sid.) „ 

Siding    .    .        , 

Krivoshchikovo  id.  .    .    .    .''.F' 

0"  '''■  ■ ii' 

Kanienka  (sid.) ,. 

Sokiir „ 

Anisiinovka   (.sid.)  .... 


2482 
2479 

2432 

3392 
2349 

2303 

2259 

2229 

2195 

2140 
2140 

2096 

2053 

2000 

1959 
1921 
1883 

1840 

1800 

1764 
1750 

1725 
1714 

1683 


2  29 

1  39! 

I  14 
12  40 
12  20 
11  40! 
11  3 
10  7 

9  25 

8  20 


3  47 

3  0 

1  58 

12  58 

12  2 

11  47 

10  48 

9  45 

8  35 


7  45 
6  55 
6  25 

6  30 

5  10 
■4  18 

3  42 
2  53 

2  13 

1  28 
12  44 
11  53 
11  15 
11  0 
1(1  22 

9  46 

9  0 

8  27 

7  49 
7  15 

6  50 
0  40 
6  15 

4  40 

3  52 
3  8 

2  8 


12  48 

11  7 
10  55 

9  42 

8  21 


6  37 
6  7 


4  37 

3  33 
1  56 

12  S 

11  53 

9  57 

8  9 

6  15 

5  55 

4  36 
3  11 
1  50 

12  27 
12  14 

11  7 

9  53 


8  13 
8  0 

7  35 
7  10 

6  22 

5  48} 
4  56 


4 

8 
2 
1 
12  33 

U  48 
II  3.-1 


11 

10  I 
9  4 
9  11 
8  2: 
7  52 
I) 
55 


7 
5 

4  40 

3  41 
2 

12  56 

11  41 

10  29 

9  33 

8  40 

8  11 

7  10 

6  38 

5  39 

4  58 
4  2 
3  12 


2  10 
11  12 


12  30 

11  42 

10  58 

8  52 


•)  .\II  I.  II  ami  in  i-Iiiss  rarriaKe.s  sleeping. 

')  Fast  trnius  2  and  1  without  chnnKinfr  for  coniraunication  Moscow -- Irkutsk.  These  trains 
leave:  Ks  17  Moscow,  on  Saturdays:  Ke  2  Ob,  on  Thursdays,  arriving  at  Irkiifsk  on  Mondays:  Jfe  1  Ir- 
kiitsk,  on  Fridays,  arriving  at  .Moscow  on  Saturdays. 

Night  time  from  6.0  1'.  M.  to  5.69  .\.  M.  indicated  by  heavy  type. 


4 


FARES  AND  TIMK  TABLES. 


511 


II- 


IV 


I'.'l.  2 

i-n ; 


Mail  4 

l-m 


9  50 

10  58 

12  J7 

1  15 

2  39 
4  4| 
5^1 

6   o; 

9JI0 

6  20 

7  01 

7  571 

8  50i 

9  42 

0  22 

11  44 
11  0, 

1  361 

2  46' 
4  16 

6  6 

7  30 

8  53 

9  17 

10  38 

11  5r.' 

12  40 

2  4 

3  9! 

4  34 

5  50, 

7  10 

8  55 

9  36 
10  9 
10  50 
12  20 

12  55 
2  6 

4  12 

5  32 

6  43 

7  40 
9  10 

10  28 

11  55 

1  24 

2  41 

3  15 

3  45 

4  48 
4  .',fi 


9 
11 


53 
8 


7  571 
3  40| 
9  34 

10  25: 

11  4 

11  43 

12  38 
1  53 

1  58 

2  51 

3  41 

4  42 

6  4 

7  25 

7  30 

8  47 
10  5 

10  25 

11  26 

12  15 

1  21 


28 
33 
14 
46 
11 
45 
15 


6  351 

7  40, 
9  11 

10  27| 

11  32' 

12  28 
12  33 

1  40i 


11  54 

12  50 


3  31 

4  10 

5  14 

6  20 

7  32 


2 
2 
3 
5 

(5 

8 
12 


I4i)'^ 

14"0 
1515 
1547 


2  36' 

3  33 

4  27j 
0  0 

5  5 

6  8 

6  13 

7  24 

8  37 


12  59 


6  57 
8  21 


12  26 
12  50 

1  40 

2  32 

3  39 

4  52 

5  58 

fi  39 
7  11 

7  36 

8  10 

9  0 

9  20 
10  30 
1 


10 

1  34 

2  43 

3  40 
3  55 

5  12 

6  21 

7  30 

8  25 

8  58 

9  87 

10  40 

11  2 

12  24 
1  46 


I  — 


1584 

1617 

1654 
1686 
1708 

1742 

177'.' 

ISIO 
1S41 

1874 

13VI4 
UllO 
1910! 

19.')5 

1996 

2023 
204(1 

2045 

2070 
2093 
2116 
2140 

2164 

2191 
2211 
2235 

2267 

229.31 

2320: 
23461 


Di'p. 

\n. 
Hop. 


.Vrr. 

Dff. 
Arr. 


.\ir. 
Dep. 


.\n: 
Dep. 


.VlT. 
Ill'll 


.\rr. 

I>,.|^ 
.\rr. 
Dep. 


■S(/«'('((«K  railivuij. 


Oyasli    .    .    . 
Chelnila   (sid.) 


Arr. 
Dep. 


Arr. 
Dep. 
Arr. 
Dep. 


Boloinoe  M'.    .    . 

Bariiai'iLsky  (.sid.  I 
I'olomoslitiaya 
Litviiiovo    .    .    . 
Taiga  bf.    .    .    . 


.  t 


1547    Dep. 


Tniffli 
Tomsk 

Taigi  bf.  .  .  . 
Lcliediiinka  (sid.)  . 
Sudzheiika  .... 
Yaya  (sid.)  .  .  . 
I/ihmorskaya  .  .  . 
Voskresenski  (sid.) 
Biriki'ilskaya    .    .    . 

Mar'iinsk  M.     .    . 

Si'islovo 


172a 


Kliiu'hevskoi  (sid.) 
Tiiizhin   .    .    . 
It;it     .    .    ,    .    .    . 

Bogoi6l  bf.  .    .    . 

Krasaaya    . 

Achinsk   bf.  .    .    . 


Arr.' 1641 


Arr. 


Dep. 

Arr. 
pep. 
Arr. 


1 1659 

156U 
J1534 
1 1502 

I     ^■ 

115021 

Il46( 


.    1432 


l»ep 
Arr 


Tiirntiiiii 

Chernorechenskaya  bf. 
Chernor^chenskaya  bf. 
Kiizuika  (sid. I  .  .  .  . 
Keinclifig'  .  .  .  .  . 
ZImkovka  (sid.)     .    .    . 

Kacha 

Yelovka  (sid.)    .    .    .    . 
Minino 


Dep. 
Arr. 

Dep. 
Arr. 

Dep 
Arr. 


Krasnoyarsk  bf. 


Yenisei  l>r. 

Zykovo  .    . 
Sorokino 
Kamarohaea 
Balai  .    .\ 


Dep. 
Arr. 
Dep 

Arr. 


Olglnskaya  fif. 

Tn'iit>ku-Zaozi6rnava 
Tyrhyl  -  •  .  '. 
Petrushki'ivo  .  .  . 
FilimSnoro  (sid.i    . 

Kansk  bf.     .    .    . 


Dep. 

Arr. 


Il^nskaya  bf. 


Dep. 
Arr. 
Dep. 
Arr. 


Ineash    „ 

Tinskaya     , 

Rpshetv   (.Mil.) , 

2375    Arr.  Hluichinskaya  I'f.  ....  Dep. 


v.m 

1.364 
1341 

1307 
1274 

1239 

1208 

1176 

ll...i 
1139 
U39 

1094 

1(J54 

1026 
1009 


979 
95 
934 
910 

8N(i 

85S 
838 
81 

782 

756 

729 
704 

675 


Mail  3  I  F.sf  1  |(ip    II 

I— III      I  II     I      |\ 

1    2     3  53    7  34 

10  55      2  66    5  50 

9  52      1  54   4  35 


8  58  1  10 

7  56  12    9 

6  48  11    3 

5  25  9  48 


3  47 

2  43 

1  32 

12  10 


4  351 

_1J0| 

i  101 

3  31 1 

2  34 
1  271 

12  50 

11  47 

10  42 
9  20 
8  50 
7  56 
7  3 
6  2 

4  38 

3  10 
3  2 
1  50 

12  81 
12  20 

11  82 
10  39 


9  21 

8  42 


-  I   7  2 

-  I  3  50 
U 

10  30 
9  30 
8  38 
8 

7  1 
H     S 

4  50 

1  10 

12  16 

11  15 


12  47 
11  28 


10 
8  23 


10 
9 


0 
53 


8  43 
7  25 
7  15 
6  26 
5  41 


12  53 
12 
U  M 
10  20 


9  28 
8  21 
7  2 
6  18 

5  25i 


4  30  S  45 

3  25  7  31 

2  19  11     1 

1  42  4  40 

1    7:  3  27 

4  .56i  12  421  2  50 

4  15    12    7  2  0 

3     0    II  40  1   10 

2  40;   11  25  12  50 


1  34 
12  0| 
1(1  30 

9  14 

8  10 


10  23  11  47 
9  1  10  15 
7  40   8  40 


1 


12  17 
11     2 


6  38 

5  35 

5  25 

4  19 

3  20 

2  15 

1  20  ij 
12  451 1 
12  30  In  41 
11  27  !)  M 
10  38    '.I  \-. 

9  48    -     . 

8  42    1;  5f 


9  50     7  24   5  30 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


Gp.  12 
II-IV 

Fft.  2 
I-Il 

Mail  4 

I— m 

> 

Hibcrian  railway. 

1 

Mail  3    Fst.  1 

I— m    I— n 

Gp.  11 
I-IV 

12   44 

9  53 

3    0 

2375 

De|i 

Kliuchinskaya  lif.      .    . 

.  Arr. 

675 





2  12 

10  52 

4  10 

2397 

Vurtv 

653 

8  30 

6  17 

4    7 

3    0 

11  28 

4  44 

— 

Biriiisi'i  (.sid.) 



7  47 

5  41 

3    5 

3  58 

()  57 

12  13 
12  18 

5  40 
5  55 

2425 

Arr. 
Drp 

Taishet  l.f 

Dop. 
"  Arr. 

621 

6  50     4  55 
6  35      4  50 

1  57 
12    0 

8  .30 

1  12 

6  58 

2445 

- 

6114 

11    0 

Gar  (sid.  1  ....        . 



10  10 

2  26 

8  22 

2472 

„ 

Razeoii 

577 

4     4 

2  45 

9  30 

11  35 

3  17 

9  31 

2490 

Alzamiii 

559 

3     6 

1  55 

8  24 

2     2 

4  15 

10  37 

2510 

Zamzor 

539 

2     0 

12  55 

7    4 

.S  20 

4  16 

5  43 

6  45 

5  12 
5  59 

7  16 

7  32 

11  55 

12  49 
2  17 
2  .37 

2532 

2548 

2574 

A?r. 
Dep 

Kamvsliot 

518 
501 

476 

12  54 
9  50 
8  10 
7  23 

11  53 

11     5 

9  50 

9  35 

5  51 
4  30 
2  45 
2  10 

Ik 

Nizhneudlnsk  Iif.       .    . 

Dep. 

■  Arr. 

8  26 

9  38 

8  41 

9  15 

3  46 

4  54 

2597 
2618 

.. 

Kliiniriii 

4'v-; 

G  15 
5    6 

8  34 
7  30 

12  45 

H  37 

Kluidoyeliinskava    .    .    . 

431 

10  27 

10  80 

5  43 

— 

Siding-  JV:  2 



4  12 

6  41 

10  34 

11  45 

11  25 

6  50 

2652 

Ktirzan 

397 

3  17 

5  51 

9-34 

1  20 

2  10 

12  54 
1    10 

8  22 
8  34 

2G83 

Arr. 
Dep 

TuliJn 

Dep. 
■  Arr. 

366 

1  25 
12  54 

4  20 
4  10 

7  58 
7  32 

3  24 
5  30 

7  30 
9   16 

2     0 
:i  10 
4  55 
6  33 

9  31 
10  50 
12  34 

2  18 

2703 
2722 

2757 
2737 

»? 

Azoi 

.347 
327 
292 
262 

11  56 

10  40 

8  30 

6  40 

3  17 

2  15 

12  31 

10  56 

(i  40 
5  38 
3  52 
2  11 

Slierat'iil 

Kuitiin 

Kimolti'i 

10  50 

11  18 

7  45 
7  53 

3  52 

4  20 

2814 

Arr 
Dop 

ZimA  bf 

Dep. 
•  Arr. 

236 

5  10 
4  55 

9  32 
9  17 

12  25 
10    3 

12     1 

8  36 

5    2 

— 

Shchetik  (.sid.)   .    .    .    . 

— 

4  15 

8  40 

9  22 

12  .57 

9  28 

5  55 

2S44 

Tyrot 

206 

3  25 

7  49 

6  51 

2   18 

10  26 

7    2 

2867 

Zalari 

183 

2  14 

6  43 

5  23 

3  40 

11  23 

8  21 

2886 

Golovliiskaya 

163 

1   11 

5  50 

4     4 

4  52 

12  20 

9  33 

2906 

Kutiili'k 

144 

11  50 

4  48 

2  34 

7  55 

1  20 

10  14 

2927 

ClioromJcnvo 

123 

10  42 

3  50 

1   10 

9  28 
11   17 

2  25 
2  30 

11  56 

12  16 

2952 

Arr. 
Dop 

Polovma  Iif 

Dep. 
•  Arr. 

97 

9  30 
9  10 

2  40 
2  30 

12     0 

8     8 

12  43 

3  29 

1  27 

2973 

Malti 

76 

8     6 

1  32 

6  36 

1  55 
3  12 

4  37 

5  41 

2  45 

3  53 

2995 
3018 

•• 

Tolma 

55 
32 

6  57 
5  43 

12  19 
11  11 

4  35 
3  15 

Siikhovskava  .    .    .    .    . 

4  32 

6  49 

5  14 

3042 

Arr. 
Dop 

Inokfintievskaya  !>(..     . 

Dep. 
•  Arr. 

1 

4  28 

10     3 

1  55 

5    0 

7  15 

5  40 

3049 

Arr. 

Irkutsk  Iif 

Dop. 

— 

4    0 

9  35 

I  20 

173,  Taiga— Tomsk— Cheremoshniki  and  ba 

Mv. 

9  15    12  20 

,5  20|     6   15 

1547 

Di'p.  Chelidbinsk    .  \    -.nn  .     .Vl'r. 
Arr.   Taigii        .    .  )    ^'^  .     Dep. 

1547 

5  12 

12  10 

1     (; 
5  25 

4    0 

4  10 

— 

1.502 

Dep.  Irkutsk      .    .1    inn  ■    Dep. 
An-.  Taiijii    ...      ^'^  .    Arr. 

1502 

5  40j     5    0 
9  29      6  20 

Gp.  12 
Il-lV 

Mail  4 
I-UI 

^ 

Siberian  railway. 

Gp.  n 

n-iv 

Mail    3 
I -HI 

6    0     8  30 

6  46     9  16 

7  58    10  23 
9  10    11  40 
9  30    12    0 

45 

74 
82 
89 

Dop. 

» 

Ar'r. 

Talgi  bf 

Arr. 

89 

7  25 
G     1 

4  35 
3   50 

Siding  JvT"  1 

Basaniliiika 

Mezheninovka     .....       .    .    . 

Tomsk  l)f 

:  '45 

„     '  16 

.,     i    8 
Dep.  1   - 

5  38     2  47 
4  23!     1  •■« 
3  50     1  10 

Cheremoshniki 

Night  lime  from  6.0  I'.  M.  in  5  59  .\.  M.  indii-iited  by  lienvy  type. 


i 


FARES  ANU  TIMK  TABLES. 


513 


173a.  Omsk  (st:ition)-  Omsk  (town)  ami  back. 


1'  J.in  r.-J2s  P. 222 
II-IIIII-IIIII-III 

r.21SP,212 
11-111,11-111 

1 

Siberian  raihray. 

1 

l'.2ll  1'.217  r  221  l'.22T  l'22'.i 

ii-iini-iii|ii-iii,ii-iii,ii-iii 

9  40    7  35    2  45 
9  55    7  50   3    0 

U  4o'  7  35 
11  65    7  50 

3 

Arr.  Omsk  (stat.)Dop. 
Hep.  Omsk  (town)  .\rr. 

3 

6  46 
G  30 

10  45 
10  30 

2     0 
1  45 

1 
6  10  8  20 

5  55  8     5 

Steam  navigation  of  Western  Siberia. 

rill'  .steaniors  of  ilioW'est  Sihoiian  Stciim  .\;ivi,ir:iliiiii  aiiil  Traik' rmnpany 
ply  once  a  week  on  the  river.s  Irtysh,  Tohiil  ami  Tuni  botwcon  tiic  tnwn.s 
of  ("liiisk,  Tobolsk  ami  Tiumr-n  on  the  one  hand  ami  Somlpalatin.sk  on  the 
other.  The  Company  notifies  arrivals  and  sailings  on  eaih  occasion  by  special 
advertisements. 

197.  Tiumer. — Semipalatinsk  and  back. 

Once  a  week. 


Vefst.s. 


West  .sjbeiian  Steam  Xavij^ativm  ami  Trade 
Company. 


Versts. 


256 

412 

.')47 

7G3 

807 

992 

1160 

1257 

1331 

1428 

1555 

1732 

1845 

1037 

2111 

21GG 

2304 

2583 


Pop.  Tiumin Arr. 

lyi'vlovo ^ 

.     Tobaisk • , 

BiTPziAnskoo 

Ust-Ishim       

..     Tovriz „ 

IvAnov  Mys 

,     Tiira , 

Iziiik , 

Karafyshov     

Kriipiinka 

_     Omsk 

.     Cliprhik      

Zholpzionka 

Vosmorftskoc 

„     Pavlodir 

,     Voskrospiisknya  wliarf 

_     Spmiyir.'ikop 

Arr.  Semipalatinsk Dep. 


2583 
2328 
2171 
2036 
1820 

lesr. 

1591 

1423 

1326 

1252 

1155 

1028 

851 

738 

6)0 

442 

417 

189 


514 
Passenger  and 


GUIDE  TO  THK  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


luggage  tariffs  of  the  West  Siberian  Steam  Navigation  and 
Trade  Company. 


To  or  from  stations: 

Tiumi^n. 

Tobolsk. 

Omsk. 

SemipalMinsk. 

Frcm  or  to  stations: 

1         II 

HI     'pud 
'"     lug. 

I     11    iii,',p;^d 

I     1   II      III 

Ipud 
lug. 

'    i    "    1  "'  !I^^ 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

r.k. 

k. 

r.  k.  1  r.  k. 

r.k. 

k. 

r.k. 

r.k. 

r.  k.     k 

r.k. 

r.k. 

r.  k.     k.  1 

Tium^n 







._ 

4.-00    3.00 

2  0(1 

20 

10.00 

8  00 

4.00  4J 
3.75    40 

20,00 

15.00 

8.00 

70 

lyevlevo  .... 

.i.on 

2.00 

1.20 

n 

2.00     1.50 

1.00 

I! 

9.00 

7.00 

la.(X) 

14.00 

7.50 

Tobbisk  .... 

4.00 

:f.oo 

2.00 

30 

—        — 

— 

8.00 

6.00 

3.50    ,; 

17,00 

13.0(1 

7.00 

ho 

Bereziinskoe    . 

4.50 

3.50 

2.20 

2J 

2.00    1.00 

0.60 

IS 

7.50 

5.00 

3.00    ;,- 

16.511 

ri.-vi 

C..50 

bo 

Ust-Ishim   .    .   . 

(;.oo 

4.50 

2.50 

-T 

3.00'    2.00 

1.20 

20 

6.00 

4.50 

2.75     in 

15.00 

12.00 

6.00 

ss 

6.00 

4.50 
5.00 

2.50 
3.00 

!0 

4.00,   2.60 
5.00    3.00 

l.KO 
2:00 

20 

6.IK) 
5.50 

4.IK1 
3.50 

2.50  ju 
2.25    jn 

15.0(1 
11.50 

11. .50 
11.00 

Ivinov  Mys   .   . 

li.50 

5.50    ;o 

Tara 

8.00 

6.00 

3.00 

Sj 

5.50    4.00 

2.25 

2j 

4.00 

3.00 

2.00    2! 

13.110 

10.00 

5.50    4J 

Yevgashchinskoe 

8.25 

li.50 

3.25 

n 

e.Oot   4.50   2.25 

!0 

3.50 

2.50 

I..i0     2! 

12..50 

9.50 

5.00    4; 

Kartash6vo    .   . 

8.50    6.50 

3.50 

40 

6.501    5.00   2.76 

?o 

3.00 

2.00]  l.OOj  20 

12..iO 

9.00 

4.801  40 

Krupidnka  .    .   . 

9  00    7.00 

3  75 

40 

7.00     5.50    3.00 

J/ 

2,00 

1..50,  o.soi  /.- 

12.00 

8.50 

4.50     ?/ 

Omsk 

lO.OO    8.00 

4.00 

4; 

8.00,    6.00   3.50 

a 

1 

11.00 

8.00 

4.20    ;j 

Cherlik  .... 

12.00',   :>.00 

4.50 

fo 

ll.(Kj|    7.00i  4.00 

■/o 

2.50 

1.50 

0.70    1! 

9.00 

7.00 

4.00J   so 

Zhelezidnka  .   . 

13.00;  10.00 

5.00 

11.00'   8.00,  4.00 

■ff 

4.00 

2.50 

1.20    20 

8.00 

6.00 

3.50!    ;o 

Vosmeritskoe    . 

14.00  11.00 

5.50 

a 

n.oo    9.60   4.50 

jO 

5.00 

3.50 

1.80    2: 

6.IK1 

5..50 

3.00!    .>/ 

Pavlod4r    .    .    . 

I5..'b0  12.00 

6.00 

60 

13,00  10.50   5.00 

S" 

7.50 

5.00   2.50|  2J- 

5.00 

5.50 

2.00     2S 

Voskresenskoe . 

17.1X1:13.00 

6.50 

bo 

l4.0U|ll.50i  5.50 

;o 

8.00 

G.fK) 

3.00    2; 

3.00 

2.00 

1.50    20 

Semiy^rskoe      . 

19.00  14.00 

7.00 

6;     16.00  l.t.OOl  6.00 

a 

10.00 

7.00 

3.40    30 

2.00 

l.,50 

l.no,  IS 

Semipalatinsk   . 

20.00 

15.00 

8.00 

70 

17.00ll3.00| 

7.00 

bo 

1  UKI' 

8.00 

4.20 

JS 

— 

- 

-  1 

I 


Children  from  2  to  10  yrs.  old  half-price,  under  2  — free. 

There  further  ply  between  Seinipahitinsk  and  Tinmen,  at  irreguhir  inter- 
val-s,  steamers  belongin.t;  to:  1)  The  „Yermak"  Company,  2)  M.  Plotnikov. 
8)  The  Bogoslovsk  mining  District  and  4)  Kornilov. 

Xo  fixed  rates  for  freights. 

Between  the  towns  of  Tomsk  and  Tiumi'n,  ply  steamers  belong- 
ing to  the  following  companies:  1)  The  West  Siberian  Steam  Naviga- 
tion and  Trade  Company,  2)  The  ..Yerniak"  Company,  3)  Plotnikov.  4)  The 
Bogoslovsk  Mining  District  and  .tI  Kornilov. 

On  the  rivers  Tom,  Ob,  Irtysh,  Tohol  and  Tura. 
396.  Tiumen — Tomsk  and  back. 

Once  a  week  (from  is  May). 


Versts. 


West  Siberian  Steam  Navigation  and  Trade 
Company. 


Versts 


2.5li 

412 

6M5 

673 

951 

1216 

1720 

1339 

1959 

2219 


Sails  Tiumin Arr. 

,.     lyi'vievo 

„     Tobdlsk 

.     L'vat 

_     Deniianskoc „ 

„     Sam&rov „ 

,     Siirgfit ., 

„     Tymskoi' „ 

y.     Narym 

Kol|iii.sliovii 

.\rr.  Tomsk   -.  .  Sails 


2219 

1964 

1807 

1624 

1546 

126S 

1003 

499 

380 

260 


PARES  AND  TOfE  TABI.KS. 


.■)1.-1 


Passenger  and  luggage  tariffs  of  the    West  Siberian  Steam  Navigation 

and  Trade  Co 


To  or  from  landing- 
stages  of. 

From  or  to 
Tium^n. 

From  or  lo 
Tob61sk. 

From  or  to 
Tomsk. 

I 

II 

III    '  ^ 

1 

II 

III 

U^ 

1     '     11     '    111 
1 

Uj 

r.k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

r.  k. 

k. 

Tiiiineii 

— 

— 

— 

4  00 

3  00 

2  20i  20 

15  00 

10  00 

5  00 

60 

lyevlevo 

3  00 

2  00 

1  20 

15 

2  00 

1  50 

1  00  15 

13  00 

9  00 

4  80 

56 

TobAlsk 

4  00 

3  00 

2  00 

20 

— 

— 

i 

1 

1 

11  50 

8  50 

4  50 

50 

1  Vlit 

5  00 

4  00 
4  50 

2  25 
2  50 

25 
30 

1  50 

2  50 

1  00 
1  50 

0  70  15 

1  00  20 

10  50 

10  00 

8  00 
7  00 

4  00 
3  50 

46 
40 

Demianskof  .... 

G  00 

Smn&rovskni'     .    . 

7  00 

5  50 

3  00 

35 

3  50 

2  60 

1  50  25 

9  00 

6  00 

3  00 

35 

Surfftt      

8  50 

7  00 

3  50 

40 

6  00 

4  00 

2  00  30 

7  50 

5  00 

2  50 

30 

Tyiiiskof  . 

10  00 

8  00 

4  00 

45 

6  50 

5  .50 

3  00  35 

5O0 

4  00 

2  00 

25 

N'aryin 

11  00 

8  50 

4  50 

50 

7  30 

6>50 

3  50  40 

4  00 

3  00 

1  50 

20 

Kolp.ishuvo   .    . 

12  50 

9  00 

4  SO 

65 

9  50 

7  00 

4  00  45 

3  00 

2  00 

1  00 

15 

Tomsk  ... 

15  00 

10  00 

5  00 

60 

11  50 

8  50 

4  50 

50 

- 

- 

— 

— 

Children  from  2  to  10  yis  old  half-price,  below  2  yrs— free. 
Between  Tum.sk.  Harnaiil  and  Hiisk,  ply  twiee  a  week  steamers  belnnsiiifr 
to  E.  I.  Meinikov  and  V.  K.  Eldstein. 


On  the  rivers  Tom  and  Ob. 


1 

ol. 

II 

cl. 

HI  cl. 

One  pud 
luggagt'. 

■•• 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

to  Ust-Chafis  (KolTvin)     .    . 

5 

4 

: 

90 

25 

,  N6vo-Nik6lsk     .   . 

6 

5 

2 

80 

.  Bersk 

b 

30 

5 

20 

2 

50 

30 

.  KiinuMi 

8 

7 

8 

40 

40 

,  Barnadl 

10 

8 

4 

50 

.  Blisk 

14 

11 

6 

80 

516 


GCrOE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY 


Steam  Navigation 

of  Eastern  Siberia. 

Fruiu  tlio  town  of  Irkutsk  ii|i  the  river  Angar;i  to  thi'  vill.  ot  KonoviUovn 
and  down  stream  to  the  vill.  of  Listvennichnoe.  ply  tiie  tuu:  steamers  of  A. 
Y.  Xemehinov. 


1  cl. 

II  cl. 

HI  Cl. 

O 

Down  the  Angara. 

1  cl. 

11  cl.  ,    HI  cl. 

1  •' 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

k. 

9 
8 
5 
4 
2 

90 
90 

30 

6 
6 
3 
8 

1 

80 
10 
50 

50 

4 
4 
2 
2 

1 

60 
10 
50 
20 

55 
45 
35 
30 
20 

fioiii  vill.  Konovalovo. 
to  t.  Balagank.    .    . 
„  V.  Barklultovo 
„    „  I'solie  .... 
„    t.  Irkfitsk    .    .    . 
„  s.  Listvennichn     . 

1 
4 
5 
7 
9 

90 
60 
90 
90 

3 
3 
5 
G 

70 
30 
80 
30 
80 

2 
2 
3 
4 

50 
10 
40 
CO 
60 

10 
20 
25 
45 
55 

From  the  settlement  of  Listvennichnoe.  on  Lake  Baikal  and  the  river  .Se- 
lengii,  i)I,v  the  tug  steamers  of  A.  Y.  .Xemehinov. 


From  Lfstvennichnoe  to  Boliutaya  and  back. 


_■ 

_■ 

1 

cl. 

II  el. 

HI  el. 

o 

Up  tiie  Angard. 

1  el. 

11  cl. 

111 

cl. 

5  — 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

r. 

k. 

k. 

17 

80 

14 

10 

8 

40 

86 

from  .s.  Ijistveniiiflin. 











10 

80 

8 

10 

5 

40 

56 

to  Ust-Seleiiginsk 

' 

— 

6 

— 

3 

— 

30 

9 

80 

7 

35 

4 

90 

51 

„  Clii'rtovkin  .    .    . 

8 

— 

6 

75 

3 

50 

35 

5 

20 

3 

90 

2 

60 

26 

..  Vcrkliiicudiiisk     . 

12 

60 

10 

20 

5 

80 

(iO 

1 

20 

— 

90 

— 

60 

6 

„  Selcngirisk  .    .    . 

16 

60 

13 

20 

7 

80 

80 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

„  lidliiitayn      .    .    . 

17 

80 

14 

10 

8 

40 

81! 

PARES  AND  TIMK  TABLES. 


51: 


=    -Is: 
as  I  — 


to 


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O      <M      O      lO      iC 


•-(      »-i      W     Ol     CO 


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00      CI      00      -*      OS 

>-«    in    •-<    o    c 


(TJ      CJ      ■^      lO      t~     00 


ca    CO    lo    lO    00 


oi    o    e»    c>    to 
I-    «    «    M    oo 


C)     CO     lO     (O     oo     o 


o    o    o    o 

■*     CO     00     -* 


o   o    o   o   o 
as    o)    i~    CO    (N 


ns    "*    t~    00    « 


CO        ^     »0      CO      Oi      O     -1* 


o    <N    r-    o 

—I      r-1       r-<      Cq 


o»    eo    •*    o 

l-H        ,-1       d 


'O 

(O 

-H 

■<(< 

o 

— 

Ol 

cc 

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CI 

<N 

o 

-* 

Ol 

o 

C^ 

CO 

•* 

CO 

I'- 

CO     rr>     QO     ^     O 
C«     CO     -v     O     t* 


I    I 


I    I    I    I   -^ 


CO 

CO 

CI 

n 

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o 

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CO 

s 

CO 

1 

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m 

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CI 

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00 

g 

00 

1 

g 

lO 

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CQ 
IC 

s 

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O     O     O     O     O     CI 

«       Z)      CO      CO      00      CI 


o   o   o   o   o 

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t-     QO      •*      t-      -1>      00 

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OS      CI      CO      M*      CI      c 

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CI    rr    "^    lO    I- 


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H       - 


o 
c 


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z-  ^  ■  -   ~  Z 


zL  i^  'Z  '2.  ■}.  C 


9     > 


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cs 

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CO 

S>a 

•.- 

o 

c 

a> 

TS 

0) 

T! 

o 

C 

0) 
XI 

O 

W3 

^^ 

<:> 

CS 

j: 

*: 

— 

TI 

dj 

r 

t* 

cS 

e3 

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J3 

o 

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3 

ID-w 

u 

Tt 

45 

r 

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r 

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M 

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o 

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Ci 

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_z; 

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o 

tf 

C 

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ti 

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^^ 

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o 

y: 


518 


GUroE  TO  THE  GRE.\T  SffiERIAN  R.\ILW.\Y. 


Transbaikal  Railway. 

((irticr  ill  lrkiil.sk  I. 

Passenger  trains  daily  leave  Irkutsk  by  Baikal  branch  line  to 

Baikal  and  thence  by  Transbaikal  railway  from  the  Mysovaya 

St.  to  Sretensk  (1,034  versts). 

Tlio  time-table  for  this  line  is  not  yet  published. 

Steam  Navigation 

on  the  rivers  of  the  Amur  system. 

398. 

Amur  Steam  Navigation  Co. 

A  m  ii  r    line: 

Pa.ssengers  and  goods  taken  at  and  for  towns  of  Nikoldevuk.  Khaha- 
rorsk.  Bhujoreslicheu.sk.  Sirteiisk  and  landing-stages  on  way. 

U  s  s  LI  r  i    line: 

Passengers  and  goods  taken  at  and  for  towns  of  Xikuhirrsk.  KJiaha- 
rorsk.  Blayoveshckemk.  Srrletisk  and  other  points  to  tlie  I  man  st.  of  I'ssiiri 
railway  and  back. 

Z6y a    line: 

Passengers  and  goods  taken  at  and  for  towns  of  Xiknhierxk.  IvImJia- 
rovfik,  BlaiiovcshchcHsk,  Sri'tcnsk  and  other  points  to  Zeisk  Warehouse  and  t)ae-k. 

A  m  g  u  n    line: 

Passengers  and  goods  taken  at  and  for  towns  of  Niknldrrsk.  Kliaha- 
rorfik.  Blafiori'shrhcHnk,  Sri'ti'iink  and  otlier  jjoints  to  I\ert)inskWarehouse  and  hark. 

I  and  II  class  passengers  are  accomodated  with  cabins,    and    III  class    are 
placed  on  the  decks  of  steamers  and  barges  under  awnings. 

The  sailings  of  steamers  from:  Nikoldersk.  Kliahardrsk,  Blagoreslichemk 
and  Sretensk  are  each  time  specially  advertised. 


Passenger  and  luggage  tariff  of  Amur  Steam  Navigation 

Co. 

Length  of  voyage. 

\n-sts. 

I 

II 

III 

i;i(]  kop.  per 

pud  (liigg.) 

aad  verst. 

Frnrii  Srrtonsk  to  Blagoveshchensk 
„     Bliig-ove.sheht'M.sk  to  Khabarfivsk 
„     Blagovoslichciisk   to  Zei.sk  \vh. 
„     Khabarovsk  to  Nikolai'v.sk     .    . 
Khabarovsk  to  Iman  st.  .    .    . 
„     .Nikokicvsk  to  I'lidi'iisk  wh. 
„     iNLkolaevsk  to  Kerbfnsk  «h.     . 

1279 
855'/, 
657 
939^4 
890 
200 
4.50 

r.  k. 

25.58 
17  11 

18.80 
7.80 

r.  k. 

19.19 

12.84 

10.— 

9.40 

5.85 

6.— 

10.- 

r.  k. 
6.40 
4.28 
5.— 
4.70 
1.96 
3.- 
5.— 

r.k. 
1.27 
0.85 
0.65 
0.94 
0.30 
0.00 
0.00 

Each  passenger  has  the  riglit  to  take  one  pud  of  higgage  free. 


FARES  ANU  TIME  TABLES. 


510 


Ussuri  railway. 

((.Hlico  in  Kliabiiruvsk). 
174.  Vladivostok — Khabarovsk  and  back. 

From  1  April.  1900  (Vladivostok  timei 


i|  G.P.  6 
11— IV 

M.  F,  4 
I -111 

Vssuri  railway. 

1 

*)  (i.  1'.  5 
11-lV 

.\i.  P    3 
I-Ill 

3  25 

n  25 

Dop. 

Vladivostbk  biif.  .    .    . 

Arr. 

721 

10   10 

1   25 

3  57 

9  46 

- 

„ 

Pc'^rvaya  Ki'dika  (sid 

)  ,. 

-- 

9  50 

I     9 

4  32 

10  IG 

— 

„ 

Seclanka  (sid.)  . 

„ 

— 

9     2 

12  34 

5     0 

10  33 

— 

„ 

Khilkovo  buf.    .    . 

. 

— 

8  44 

12  19 

6  12 

11   2? 

42 

„ 

Nadezhdinskaya  bul 

.    » 

680 

7  35 

11   30 

7    3 

12     G 

— 

„ 

Kiparisov  (sid.)    .   . 

^ 

— 

6  25 

10  38 

7  46 

12  38 

60 

„ 

Uii/dtjlnoe  buf. 

„ 

655 

5  49 

10  10 

8  20 

1   10 

— 

^ 

Baranovski  (sid.)     . 

„ 

- 

5     7 

' '  M  7 

9  10 
9  42 

1  51 

2  5 

102 

Air. 
Dep. 

Nikilskoe  buf.    .    .    . 

Dep 
Arr. 

620 

4  17 
3  40 

S   5.5 
8   40 

10  28 

2  47 

— 

^ 

Dubininski  (sid)  .    . 

y, 

— 

3    2 

8     8 

12    5 

3  58 

147 

^ 

Nevelskilya   .       .    . 

„ 

575 

1  52 

7     4 

12  54 

4  36 

— 

„ 

Monastyrishche    .    . 

« 

12  50 

0    12 

2    5 

5  18 

18.5 

„ 

CherniROvka     . 

„ 

5H7 

11  50 

5  32 

2  50 

5  5i; 

^ 

l\norrins  (sid.)     .    . 

w 

— 

10  50 

4  47 

3  40 

4  22 

6  37 
6  47 

224 

Arr. 
Dep. 

Sp^sskaya  buf. 

Dep. 
Arr. 

498 

10    0 
9  30 

4    6 
3  56 

5  10 

7  28 

-- 

^ 

Drozdnv  (sid.)  .    .    . 

„ 

— 

8  45 

3  20 

5  58 

8    6 

J. 56 

„ 

Sviagino 

- 

4G6 

8  10 

2  48 

6  40 

8  43 

„ 

Kraevski  (sid.)      .    . 

. 

— 

7  10 

2    7 

7   31 

9  25 

■2'.)3 

. 

Sbinakovka    .    .    . 

„ 

429 

6  30 

1  33 

8   12 

10    4 

— 

n 

Ryzhov  (sid.)        .    . 

n 

— 

5  37 

12  40 

8  41 
8  56 

10  30 
10  35 

327 

Arr. 
Dei) 

Ussuri  buf 

Dc)). 
Arr. 

394 

5     6 
4  51 

12  12 
12    2 

10  10 

11  22 

:!50 

„ 

Prokhasko     .   .   .   . 

•_ 

372 

4     2 

11  20 

— 

- 

„ 

Basse  (sid )  .    .    .    . 

,. 



— 

- 

'     11   15 
11  54 

12  14 
12  14 

377 

Arr. 
Dep. 

Muravi5v-Amurskl    buf 

- 

344 

2  42 

2  18 

10  20 
10  10 

1     5 

12  55 

:?87 

„ 

ImAn   .    •  .   .    .    . 

« 

335 

1   50 

9  46 

— 

— 

- 

Kberliardt  (sid.)    . 

- 

— 

— 

*)  Daily  between    Vladivostok  and  Xikulsk,   and  as    announced    between 
Isikolsk  and  Khabarovsk. 


520 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


*)  U.  p.  (i 
II— IV 

M.  P.  4 
I-III 

"to 

> 

Ussuri  railwtty. 

> 

)  G.  P.  5 
11— H' 

P.  M.  3 
I— III 

2  35 

2    5 

420 

Dep. 

Kiirdiiimovka    .    . 

Arr. 

302 

U  45 

8  36 

— 

— 

— 

„ 

Chorny  (sid.)    .    . 

. 

— 

— 

— 

4  30 

3  36 

461 

„ 

Bophiirovo  .    .    . 

„ 

258 

9  50 

7    0 

— 

— 

— 

„ 

Alchi'm  (.sid.)     .    . 

„ 

— 

— 

— 

5  10 

6  10 

4  38 
4  48 

498 

Arr. 
Dep. 

BiWn  but 

Dep. 
Arr. 

224 

8  30 
8  10 

5  46 
5  20 

— 

— 

— 

„ 

Beitsukha  (sid.)    . 

V 

— 

— 

— 

8  10 

6  15 

537 

„ 

Rosengartovka 

y, 

185 

6  25 

4  10 

— 

— 

— 

Snarbki  (sid.)  .    . 

n 

— 

— 

— 

9  45 

7  31 

„ 

Gedike  (sid.)     .    . 

„ 

— 

4  45 

2  54 

10  20 

7  56 

575 

^ 

Ilovaiskaya    .    .    . 

„ 

146 

4  16 

2  23 

— 

— 

„ 

Yevgenievka     .    . 

„ 

— 

— 

— 

11  13 
11  40 

8  38 

8  48 

596 

Arr. 
Dep. 

Vi^zemskaya  Inii.    . 

Dep. 
Arr. 

125 

3  10 
2  40 

1  30 

1  15 

1  22 

9  57 

627 

^ 

Dormidontovka    . 

„ 

95 

1  10 

12  15 

1  55 

10  23 

— 

„ 

Khor 

y, 

— 

12  20 

11  40 

2  52 

11     1 

653 

„ 

Dukhovskaya    .    . 

n 

69 

11  50 

11   13 

— 

— 

— 

„ 

Kruglikov  (sid.)  . 

» 

— 

— 

— 

4  18 

12     3 

680 

,, 

Kori'ovskaya  .    .    . 

„ 

41 

10  10 

10    7 

5    8 

12  41 

— 

„ 

KrasnayaRechka  (se 

d.). 

— 

9  10 

9  16 

6    0 
6  25 

1  20 
I  50 

716 

Arr. 
Dep. 
Arr 

Khabarovsk  but'. 
Khabarovsk  lauding- 

Dep. 
Arr. 

6 

8  10 
7  35 

8  35 
8     5 

6  40 

2     5 

721 

slage  .        ... 

Dep. 

7  20 

7  50 

■<i 


Marine  Steam  Navigation. 

Between  Vladivostok.  Nagasaki,  Port-.\rtiir,  Siiigapur,  Colombo,  Periin  or 
Aden,  Port-Said,  Constantinople,  Odessa  and  S.  Petersburg,  ply  the  steamers 
of  the  Vokinti'er  Fleet  and  of  the  Russian  East  Asiatic  S.  S.  Co. 


{Official  Ouid,.  of  M.   \V.  ('.,  M  39.)). 


AXXOUNCEMENTS. 


«u    _i  1 1 1 1 1 1 1 iMiiiiiiiiiii^r         i^  i^      \H"' ' ' III!    "oT»^ 


ESTABLISHED  •     igg^r     isser      /    Telegraphie  address 

1863.  \  /        List— Moscow. 

Gustav  List  Limited. 


MOSCOW. 
«t"=S>- 


I 


\ 


MANUFACTURERS  OF: 

STEAM    PUMPS 

of  different  systems:  Worthington,  Blake,  Kameron,  Boukau  etc. 

PUMPS 

driven  by  hand  and  belt  of  all  sizes  for  all  sorts  of  liquids 

FIRE  ENGINES  OF  ALL  SIZES 

for  villages,  foundries,  town  fire  brigades,    railway  stations  etc.  etc.    Hose, 

hose  pipes  etc. 

STEAM  ENGINES 

horizontal  and  vertical,  single  and  double  cylinders,  also    with    double  and 

triple  expansion. 

Hoisting  and  winding  engines. 

Boilers  horizontal  and  vertical. 

Decimal  and  centesimal  balances;  balances  for  railway  cars,  locomotives  etc. 

Fittings.  Blowers.  Wrought  iron  tubes  for  gas,  water  aud  steam. 

Woofl  and  iiiGtalworiiiii  oiacliiDeri. 

Marshall's  Portable  Engines  &  Thrashers. 

Baku  branch;  address -ZAST—fi.JA7^ 

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GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


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JOINT  STOCK  COMPANY 


YEAST,  SPIRIT-RECTIFICATION  AND  BRANDY  DISTILLERY 

In  RIGA. 


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Established  in  1847. 


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^0^  4  honorary  diploinas, 
\f     14  gold  medals, 


4  silver  medals, 
4  bronze  medals, 

Office:      Ks  32,  Plavuchaya  street. 
I  Distillery:      J*^'"  25,  Vyg-onnaya  Damba. 
II  Distillery:      Ks  4—5,  Malaya  Sbornaya  str 

p„„„„i  «c..  /  in  St.  Petersburg',  Ks  34,  Gorokhovaya  str. 

crancnes.  j  ^^  Hamburg:  Kg  18,  Catherine  str. 

OFFERS  FOR  SALE: 

R[ciiFi[i  8PIBII  Of  mm]  pmin,  clarifies  and  table  whe, 
Genuine  Riga  Kuntsen  Herboreai  Baisam. 

BRANDIES  OF  ALL  KINDS: 

Benedictine,  Abriootine,  Chartreuse.  Quirasso.  Cacao.  Mecca,  INarasquino,  ft-uit  Infusion 
and  liquor.  Kiev  liquors.  Kiimmel,  Orange  and  other  liquors,  Sorb-apple  N;  00,  N^zhin 
Sorb-apple.  English  Double-corn,  LIvonian  bitter,  Redldvka.  Ziklitovka,  Little-Russian 
sp'oed  brandy,  LIvonian  cranberry  infusion,  Red-pllberry  Infusion,  English  bitter  and  Qui- 
nine brandy. 

with  ticketed  tax; 

Fresh  compressed  yeast. 

Brandies  of  our  owu  mauLifactiire  are  sold  by  all  imiiortant 
wine-inercliants. 

Catalogues  post-free  on  application. 

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ANNOU.VCEMENTS. 


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General  Electric  Company. 

Allgemeine  Elektrieitats  Gesellsehaft. 


# 


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3,  Kazan  place,  St.  Petersburg.  1^ 

5,  Lubianka  prospect,  Moscow 

41,  Kreshchatik,  Kiev.  aw 


Electrical  Transmission.  Electric  Lighting. 


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HO,  Fontanka,  St.  Petersburg.  sr 

REPRESENTED    BY    THE: 


Telephone  2185. 

4,   K.    PURYSHE^Y. 


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Offers  pjTogranite  of  various  colours  and  designs  for  flooring    )( 

and  side-paths.  \V 

CERAMIQ  PiPSSs  I 

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\)  Syzran  Asplialt  Manufacturing  Company. 

(Ofilce  in  Syzran). 

Executes  orders  for  Asptiait  Works  throughout  Russia. 
Sale  of  Asphalt  and  Mineral  Tar. 

2)  Baron  E.  E.  Bergenlieim  and  Co. 


GUIDE  TO  THE  OKKAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


FURNISHED  HOUSE 


PALAIS-ROYAL. 


St.  Petersburg,  20,  Pushkin  street, near  the  N^vsky  prospect  and  the  Nicholas  railway 

station.  170  furnished  rooms. 
Rates:  R.  I  r.  25  k.  to  R.  10  a  day,  with  bed  linen  and  electric  lighting;  and  frcm  R.  15  to  R.  175  a  month. 

Dining-room  with  home-made  dinners. 

Electric  lighting.  —Telephone.  —  Baths.  —Commissioners. 

Omnibuses  are  sent  out  to  all  the  railway  stations  in  the  town.  Telephone  Ns  676. 


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UocKsa  1882  H-HoBropoai.  1898.  KleBi  1897 


P«r&  IbSi). 


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VARNISH  FACTORY 

established  in  1842. 

Specialities:  spirit-varnisi)  and  lac-varnish  of  highest  quality,  patent  novelty: 
Lac-varnish  ..Permanent". 

U  Factory  in  "Warsaw,  5,  St.  George  street. 

Offices;  in  St.  Petersburg-,  6,  Stoliarny  str.  in  Ni'zlini- 
Ndvgorod:  Konovln  high-road,  house  Fili'pov:  in  Riga 
18,  Great  Zamkovaya. 


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ANNOUNCE  MEiNTS. 


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REINHOLD  ERNEST0\1CH 

WITT, 

firm  of  John  Legau  and  Co. 
RIGA. 


Manufacturer  of  hygienic  cigarette  paper  cases. 
22,  Wolmar  street 


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THE  VOTKINSK 

STATE    WORKS 

ON    THE    KAMA    RIVER 

22    prizes    at    exhibitions,    including    first  prizes  at  the  Chicago 
and  Nfzhni-N6vgorod  exhibitions. 

GOODS: 


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1)  Passenger  and  goods  steamers, 
marine  schoonrs,  iron  barges. 

2)  Locomotives. 

3)  Puddled,  welded,  assorted,  sheet 
marine  iron,  boiler  plate,  and 
riyetting  iron. 

4J  Marten  and  iron  welding  steel. 
5)  Bridges  and  bridge  appliances. 

And  other  articles  according  to  desire. 
The  goods  are  forwarded  from  the  Oalev  landing-stage  on  the  Eima. 

Telegrams:  Votkinsk,  District  Department. 
Letters:  V6tkinsk  Works.  Vidtka  government.  K^ma.  V6tkinsk  Mininq  Dislrict  DepartmenL 

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S  6)  Railway  fastenings. 

i  7)  Naphtha     reservoirs      and     spirit 

J        tanks. 

I  SJ  Steam  boilers. 

J  9J   Engnes. 

«  10)  Chains  and  anchors. 

J  if)  Agricultural  implements. 


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GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


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V„  B,,  BOHMOTKIN. 

St.  Petersburg. 


Stock  of  Steam  Engines,  Boilers,  Locomobiles  etc. 

Steam,  tiular  and  other  lioilers,  reservoirs  anil  cisterns  for  uetroleum  anfl  | 
mineral  oils  and  other  tioller-smltli's  work, 

Representatives  of  the  HARTLEY    and    SUGDEN  Works   | 
in  Halifax  —  Boilers  for  water  and  steam    heating. 

Warehouses:  78,  Obv6dny  canal,  own  house  (near  the  Gas  Works). 
Office:  1,  Chernysh6v  str.  (near  the  arch). 


Kxxxxxxxyy^'"'^  y  y  V  xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxyyxxxxxxxx>  I 


Of  artistic    and   decorative   bronzc.x.  ^^ 

Cutting:  and  sawing  of  hard  stones: 
Nephrite,    Rock-crystal,     Porphyry.    Jodeit,     Rhodonite, 
Malachite  Lapis-Lazuli,  Jasper,  Aventurine,  Agate,  Labra- 
dor, Crocidolite,  Obsidian  and  other  Siberian  stones 

REPRODUCTION  WORKS  OF  ART  EXHIBITED  IN  THE 
NATIONAL  MUSEUMS. 

C.  F.  AVOERPFEL. 

Appointment  to  the  court  of  His  Hajeaty. 

Magazine:  Karavannaya.  9. 

Manufactory:  Obvodny  Canal,  8. 

St.  Petersburg. 


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ANNOUNCEMENTS. 


'^' 

^  The    Zlatoust    state    mining    district    established  m  the  IK,  Orenburg  and  I'erm  go- 

«  vernmonis,  inuini-'il  in  l.sSl. 

SS  The  disiriti  i  uiiprises  tlio  Zlatoiist,  Salkln,  Kusinsk  «nd  Artiksk  works. 

t>  The  Zlatoust  wurks  produces:  side  arms,  shells  for  the  naval    and    military   departments, 

ifi  pigiron,  steel;  .Marten,  skillei-oasl-sleel,    figured    steel,    assorted    iron    and  steel,   files,  water  j 

(^  I'ipes,  railway  fastenings  and  other  appliances. 

?-,  Satkin  works:  pig-iron,  cast-iron  projectiles  for  the  .\rtlllery    and  the  Naval  Department,  ; 

Cj    puddled   pjj^-iroll. 

•5,  Kusinsk    works:  pig-iron    and    Artillery    aholls.    figured    castings    and    artistic    cast-Iron 

O  .irtirles. 

v^  Artiksk  works:  scythes,  sides  refined  steel  and  fined  Iron. 

/;  Supplies  private  orders.                                                                                                                         I 

^  Adress  for  letters  and  telegrams:  Zlatoust,  Ufii  government   Mining    Director    of  District  i 

C  nepartment.                                                                                                                                              i 

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The  Yaroslav-Kostroma  Land  Bank. 

(91,  Tverskoi  boulevard.  Moscow). 

Grants  loans  for  long  periods  on  mortgage  deeds  at  the  rate  of  4'/a  per  cent, 
in  the  governments  of  Yeniseisk  and  Tob61sk,  the  SemipalSfinsk  territory,  the 
towns  of  the  Irkutsk  and  Tomsk  governments,  as  well  as  in  the  towns  of  Omsk, 
Verkhneudinsk,  Child,  Nerchinsk,  Blagoveshchensk.  Khabarovsk,  Nik61sk-Ussurisk 
and  Vladivostbk: 

on  mortgage  of  land  estates,  for  10  to  66'/,,  years  at  a  rate  of  5  per  cent 
per  annum,  exclusive  of  the  redeeming; 

on  mortgage  of  real  estates  situated  in  towns  for  a  period  of  10  to  38' ',2 
years,  at  a  rate  of  5'  2  per  cent,  exclusive  of  Peceeming. 

Particulars  may  be  obtaintd  at  the  Bank  office  and  from   the  local  agents. 


730 


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WORKS  OF  THE  FRANCO-RUSSIAN  COMPANY, 

previously  BERDA, 

/7,  riv.  Pridahka,  St.  Petersbttrg 

Telegraphic  address:  Aid  e  baran-Pet  ersburg. 

Macliiiicry  errctiiiiLr  works: 


J!  steam-engines,  boiler  and  copper-smiths  work.  Pig-iron  and  bronze,  rough  and  finished  castings, 

2  about  2000  puds.;  forged,  articles,  rough  and  finished,  about  6000  puds. 

"^  Copper-inill: 

S  Brass  and  copper  compression  tubes.    Brass    sheets.   Copper    sheets.    Nickel-silver.    Brass  rods,    t 

1  Copper  rods.  Figured  flat  brass,  all  kinds  of  shapes   and  sections.    Marine   bronze,    delta,    metal    1 

i  and  other  alloys.                                                                           i 

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„W"li  MUELLER'S  Successors  &  Cl-.  ^■ 


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General  Forwarding  &  Ship  Agents. 

estbl.  1822. 
Customs   clearing,  chartering,  insurance  fc.  at  most  reasonable 

terms 
Head  office   in  S.-Petersburg:   Va.silievsky  Ostrov,  4-th  line,  JVs  lit. 
Branch  office  in  Revel:    Schmiede  Stra.sse 
:_  „  Repre.sentoii  at  all  Russian   custonihou.ses  &  abroad. 

^rZ,  Telegraphic  address:  ,,Wllmuellers".  ''\'^lcD 

(5i™iii»iiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiliMiiiiiMiiiniiiiiii»wiiMatiiiaB;uii,,i,iiauir..   -  '■  ~'^  .V. 


GUIDE  TO  THE  GREAT  SIBERIAN  RAILWAY. 


<5iv5^^^^^ 


11 


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ST.  PETERSBURG. 


Chemical  Laboratory. 

27,  Izmailoy  prosp.  St.  Petersburg. 

Gold  medal:   Paris  1889. 


Eaii  de  Cologne  double. 

Eau  de  Cologne  triple. 

Eau  de  Cologne  M  4  (Extract). 

Not  inferior  to  foreign  produce. 
OK  SALE  IS  ILL  THE  TOWIS. 


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Manufactory  of  inlaid  floors     l^ 

Joinery   and   Carpentry   work  jt^ 


of 


I     Joseph  Tvorkovsky 


Attorney  and  Counsellor  at  Law. 

(Chicago  Sllinois. 

U.  D.  A. 

Refers  to  Commercial  natl  Bank 

(Bhicago  Sllinois. 


PERFUMERY  MANUFACTORY 

OF  FIRIDRICH  PULS 

|ii    W  a  rs a \yi^ 


Famous  Glycerine  soap  of  Fridrich  Puis  in  Warsaw. 

Lily  of  the  valley  soap,  N?  43. 

Kosmos  soap.  N;  217. 

Rice  powder. 

Hair  fixature. 

Athenian  water. 

Brillantine. 

Eau  dentifrice. 

Mint  water. 

Eau  de  Cologne  (du  Monde  il^gant). 

Flower  blossom  Eau  de  Cologne. 

Lavender  water  (Ambrie). 

Eau  de  Verveine. 

Smelling  bottles. 

Toilet  vinegar. 

Pine  wood  water. 

Dutch  eau  de  Cologne.  N?  148. 

Viola  Nostra  soap. 

Melisse  soap. 

Crab  apple. 

Frangipani.  a 

Orchid. 

Scent  bags. 

Warsaw  soap. 

Lilas  de  Perse  soap. 

Swan-feather  powder-puffs. 

Vaseline  soap. 

Parfum  de  la  Cour. 

Kadila. 

Eureka  scent. 

Transparent  soaps. 

Egg  soap. 

Russian  bouquet  soap. 

Veloutine  powder. 

Shaving  soap. 

Tooth  powder. 

Tar  soap. 

Acacia  soap. 

Firm  of  Fridricti  Puis  established  in  Warsaw,  I8h2. 


-^^m=^-~^ 


-1-0  NEW    SPLEXDID    PUBLICATION 

y  AI^T  ANI3  INDUSTI^Y.  r? 

"H.  o  Illustrated  Intkrn ational  Review  ? '_ 

Cm  "  ?     O' 

3  ^  EDITED"  WITH.  THE    SUPERIOR    AUTHORIZATION  ^-   -< 

f  ^  OF    HIS    iMAIKSTY    NICOLAS    II  ^   c 

"2  S  by  tlie    Imperial    Society  for  pruDKJting  Art  in  Russia  c  » 

_£    ^  (from  October   1898).  3.  - 

"S    S;  ehief-writer:   A4.  P.  SOBK  O.  "    „ 

3      O  ■■               O  • 

A    g  "          (ST.-PETERSBURG,  MOIKA,    03). 

"  — •  Special  edition  with  t'rencli  translation. 


0 


BINDING  SECT,      MAR  1  3  1975 


PLEASE  DO  NOT  REMOVE 
CARDS  OR  SLIPS  FROM  THIS  POCKET 

UNIVERSITY  OF  TORONTO  LIBRARY 


DK  Russia.     Ministerstvo  putel 

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